Boxed in
by thespix
Summary: Follow Kate and Humphrey as they are forced to abandon den and home, With the closing walls around them can they escape the nearing dark which seems to lerk in every shadow and around every corner, Will they ever manage to escape or will they loose more? DISCLAIMER: may contain graphic descriptions for specific users, REVIEW AS I LOVE READING THEM ALL!
1. Chapter 1 Intro

**So let me start by telling you all that I`m not new to the whole writing stories even though this IS a new account it is not my only one.**

**However I can tell you that this will be my first account dedicated to the film set of "Alpha and Omega" and I can tell you ive only recently got into the films and am unfamiliar with all the characters and overall plot lines through all the films since the only ones I have seen have been number 1 and 3 so as to help me write a story and develop the characters how I wish, obviously my first story which I want to make a long one will be...long**

**Without giving away to much of my plans so far basically, the story I am about to start writing on is not scripted and will be made up on the spot along with the story plot and characters possibly being completely offset to the films, obviously though the main characters will still be present within the story.**

**Before in my old stories i used to have comments on how well I was able to structure my stories and dialogue throughout my story, in terms of spelling, grammar and other similar related things I'm going to have some hiccups , I will strive to remove all miss-spelled and grammar errors.**  
**And I'm going to say right now that I don't like writing stories which don't make sense so if you don't like stories where its a bit, somewhat make-believe and in a made up fantasy world of sorts, then i`m person i can see you liking.**

**Normally I wouldn't do an into like this however I felt like it needed addressing soooo, ill get started shall I?...**

**Quickly though before I begin this is set in a different universe where the packs never united and Humprey and Kate never had kids... or at least yet...**

It was the beginning of another amazing day, the sunrise scattering its rays over the horizon, the rays creeping there ways through the leaves of the great pine trees which intern watched over all the dens of the Western Pack.

In one of these dens atop the mound were two peacefully sleeping Wolves, One A mixture of Light grey to white and Black who went by the name of Humprey who may not have been the strongest, nor the most clever however what he did have was heart and purity, however lately he had begun to gain some new personality abilities, The other Wolf a mix of Yellow to white, A alpha daughter of Winston and Eva the current leaders of the Western Pack, known throughout her pack for being the courageous one along with being one of the most attractive wolves of the Pack..

{yawn} Humphrey started the day in his usual way "hmmmmm" he peacefully sighed to himself after his yawn creeking his eyes open to be happily greeted by the dark Visage of His Wife which soon turned to a bright yellow glowing outline "hmm never get tired of that one" he whispered to himself calmly as he admired Kates beauty.  
Humprey lay there watching over Kate for a couple of minutes enjoying the warmth of Kate on his Arm along with the cozy suns rays creeping there way through the dens entrance, that was until he became blinded by the rays...

Humprey moaned as he lifted his body up from his resting position, he sat there for a few seconds smacking his dry snout with his tongue before letting out one last {yawn} before getting up from his and Kates corner.

Every morning he woke he never left Kate alone in the den not even for one second, he would sit at the entrance of the Den feeling the slow breeze slip its way through his fur curving its way in perfect form over his face, it always reminded him of something although he could never put his paw on what it was he knew one thing, that it left him with a sense of satisfaction, a sense of gratitude and a mixup of content.

He sat enjoying the view over the misty mountains of the far western packs' territory, watching the clouds mold around the mountain tops only to soon run around and off the mountain like water.

soon a tender snout popped into his peripheral vision soon coming to rest along his shoulder along with a great wrath which only a lovers contact could cause.  
"Hmmm.. I see now why you're always up so early" Kate began looking out over the mountains as Humprey did.

"Maybe you could join me more often then if you enjoy it so much Hmmm?" Humhprey questioned looking slightly around to Kates' nose licking the side of her face softly before turning back to the view.

they sat there for some good time wanting to go back inside to snuggle for the rest of the morning but the constant reminder of the view before them kept them in place, after about half an hour watching the sun peak the horizon of the pine trees and illuminate the packs' mound.

"so, Humphrey" Kate began " wanna grab a quick drink from the stream before the morning rush hour begins?" she finished chuckling to herself remembering how Humphrey got tripped up the day before by the greytales family pups.

"yeah sure, i could also probably do with a drink, besides we couldn't just sit up here all day looking into each other's eyes all day could we?" Humphrey asked suggestively looking over to Kate on his shoulder before getting up and beginning his slow walk down the path from there den looking back on his fifth step.  
"No" Kate replied bluntly getting up and walking past Humprey brushing her tale along his chin and around his Jaw leaving him in a half trace nearly about to fall over " maybe tonight" she whispered Seductively as she passed giggling at Humphreys reaction.

"come on silly" continued Kate still amused by Humphreys reaction him quickly soon after snapping out of it jogging quickly to Kates side.

it was a quick seven-minute walk down to the stream the two of them chatting happily between themselves the distant echoing of chirping birds quickly building up.

"sigh and we`re here" Kate sighed joyfully the two of them leaning down taking a good couple of gulps each, "Ahhhh.. life couldn't get much better" Humphrey stated to himself for Kate to hear

"why do you say that?" she questioned "Why?" he began "because first of all I scored myself an Alpha" he replied looking up at the sky then back down to kate who had an `I know what your going to say face`" A sexy Alpha hehe" he finished cheekily

Kate rolled her eyes slightly enjoying the comment although feeling a bit put out by Humphreys immediate focus on how she looked  
" Ohh no no no Kate come on" Humphrey plodded over to Kate nuzzling up against her," i meant A amazingly amazing wolf who`s funny, cute " ha hehe Kate lovingly laughed swaying to her side as Humphrey pressed himself against her lovingly " but honestly, you are pretty sexy" Humphrey whispered in Kates' ear which she cutely giggled at again before facing Humprey and giving him a lick on his snout making Humprey sneeze just avoiding Kate.

"hehe, You truly are a funny one Humphrey" Kate giggled as she watched him sneeze again  
soon he regained his posture facing Kate proudly shaking his head slowly side to side while standing tall {ah CHOOO} Humphrey again completely lost his posture causing Kate to laugh out load at His predicament.

"Oh god, Humphrey you do make me laugh" Kate continued.

"that's not a bad thing right?" Humphrey asked looking at her happily  
"no not at all" Kate replied walking over to him to lick him again "uh not the nose again" Humphrey lifted his nose away from here which she giggled at and licked the side of his face instead.

"hmmm... so what do you want to do today then?"Humphrey asked curiously  
"Dunno, I'm kinda in a walkin chatty mood I guess, wanna walk around the territory" Kate answered looking to a nearby frog that happened to catch her eye jumping into the stream then back to Humphrey after she lost interest.

" sounds like a plan Kate" and with that he walked off around the territory occasionally greeting a recently woke pack member as they went which soon led them off the usual trodden route a good six hours passed, They had had some fun chasing each other around a bit including some small rodents around for fun, They`d done some swimming in one of their district lakes eventually there adventure around the territory brought them to the edge of it bordering the Eastern packs territory following it around.

" Um, Kate?" Humphrey asked looking down trying to think over how he was going to begin the impending conversation as well as his next steps over a large log  
"Yes Hun" she replied looking up at the sky as the shadows played a weird interesting dance over her eyes eventually making her shake her head and face Humphrey instead.  
"I hate to turn to more depressing things after such an enjoyable day but, With us being you know next in line I guess I could put it" Humprey began still watching the ground.

kate knew exactly what he was going to mention and finished his speech for him.

"It's about the food isn`t it, for the pack and us?" she finished looking at Humphrey as she walked alongside him.

"well yes, I mean we haven't even seen your father or mother today nor really anyone else, everyone out looking for food, others are starting to wonder, question and I'm beginning to worry" Humprey stated as he looked to and from Kate and his next footing over a Log.

"Hmmm well find food Humphrey, It hasn't been that long since the pack had a decent meal "she tried to cheer him up.

"eleven days Kate, eleven days of scraps, where did all the caribou go Kate, we all know that the Eastern pack is a valley and the only one in and out to ours, what if they are boxing us in Kate?" Humphrey replied a clear growing tone of worry mixed with anger upon his voice.

"Humprey?" Kate asked looking past Humphreys' ear into the Eastern territory.

Humprey looked around unsure what her attention was taken by "what is it..." he cut himself off,  
about nine meters into a clearing of the eastern packs' territory lay a writhing Caribou with no physical injuries but a clear sign of distress, Dark pine trees giving an ominous almost dark glow of sorts which boxed the caribou into a small section of grass covered by few sun rays.

" I haven`t seen one for days"Humphrey "yeah, me neither" he replied moving his head in her direction then back.

it had been nearly fifteen minutes with no movement other than the rising and falling of the caribou's chest in the grass.

"what do you think is wrong with it?" Kate asked as if the answer would be clear to Humphrey who mouthed response to her half unaware he wasn`t making any noise, Slowly he lifted his front paw and leg into the Eastern packs' territory.

"Humphrey!" Kate half shouted half whispered fear beginning to get a grasp of her "No you could be killed for breaking territory laws" Humprey was already half body into the opposite territory by the time kate finished speaking  
"Humphrey!" Kate almost shouted beginning to get agitated , By the time she had decided she would pull him back he was already a good three meters within the territory  
Humphreys' ears were on end All his emotions focused in on his three main senses with the nagging feeling of fear trying to pull him back, He lowered his back into the shrubbery cautiously moving at a snail's pace through the greenery towards the caribou.

Kates' heart was pounding, her mind half in the idea of quickly running and pulling him back  
Humphrey flattened himself to the ground, he heard noise only faint, movement  
Suddenly a group of large Russet and Cream wolves jumped out from the bushes attacking the caribou and quickly dragging it through the bushes too quickly for a count to be given on the number of wolves they were ravenous, the speed at which they pulled it out of sight was astounding, who would have known that in such a short period of time so much blood could show, Kate was left frozen and un-noticed, looking too and from Humprey past the border and the group of wolves which were just about done with pulling the caribou through the bushes on the far other end of the clearing

quickly the wolves disappeared all but one, the one left was known by all the Western Pack and many others as Garth, a ruler ever since the passing of His father Tony...  
Garth turned towards Kate from where the Caribou once lay, he chuckled to himself before an evil grin crossed his face, "Don't think i didn't notice you and don`t think they didn`t either" he said looking at Kate across the border.

Kate felt her heart start quickening in pace again, that was until he continued by slowly tilting his head down which made her heart beat seem to disappear frozen in time.  
"Humphrey" Garth asked awaiting an answer

Humphrey gulped and slowly raised himself from the grass looking into Garth's eyes until their heights met "Garth" Humprey stated bluntly.

" you know, you're lucky I don`t kill you right now, hell your lucky I managed to convince the others not too, Humphrey, I really would enjoy it, but I`d like to think of myself as a, forgiving wolf he chuckled to himself circling around Humprey who still attempted to stand tall  
"Oh and it's really funny as well, because you know you`re in the wrong as well, who`d thought it Humphrey the mutt who doesn't break rules would be the one to cross the line literally and metaphorically he burst into a laughing fit as he circled  
Kate growled silently of which Garth heard remarking with " oh shut it bitch, your worthless Mate of an excuse is in the wrong here not me"  
Humphrey stood bold to Garth's shameful comments and shot him an uncomfortable glare growling viciously.

"Don`t you-..."  
"save it, Humphrey, after all, I am letting you have a second chance to live your worthless life aren`t I?.. or would you simply prefer not?" Garth asked cutting Humprey off and growled deeply causing him to whimper startled  
Humphrey knew he wasn`t any match for a fully trained alpha such as Garth and decided to turn down a mismatched fight. He lowered his head and pinned his ears backward showing an obvious sign of weakness.

"That`s what I thought you`re so pathetic. Now off you go coyote back to your mate, I mean bitch" Garth said slyly grinning evilly at Kate.  
Humprey walked lowered to the ground back next to Kate Who hurried him up pushing him back behind her and following quickly after Humprey through the bushes leaving no-one but garth in the clearing of separations.

**: Later that Night:**

In Humphreys dream  
sat outside perched on the edge of the mound watching the sunrise once again, and like the morning before the sun illuminated the far-out mountain ranges, he felt the warmth of the sun seep through his skin, the cool breeze again flowing through his fur ...

except there was something... diffrent...something not quite there but there, something changing, the clouds as they once flowed around the mountains like water, they no longer flowed like water...but like... blood, the breeze sleeking back his fur was like that of, blood, the Warmth of the sun felt like the drenching of his fur, looking down he was but fine.

that was until he noticed the unusual pitter-patter of a liquid, a red... liquid, dripping from everywhere, everywhere yet nowhere, the pitter-patter getting closer, closer, CLOSER, CLOSER, NEARER, MAKING ITSELF PRESENT, CLEAR, DRENCHING HIS MIND, boxing him against a wall, making him cover his ears, he covered his eyes everything his face, he was smothering himself falling deeper and deeper into the hole of unknown, DEEPER DEEPER, FURTHER

**:not a dream:**

"AHHHHHHHHH!"


	2. Chapter 2 forming visions

**Hello, I`m back again with another chapter to my first Alpha and Omega story, I'm not going to bore you all this time with a drawn out into so let's just get straight into it, shall we?**

"AHHHHHHHHH!" Humphrey shot up from his sleep quickly realizing it was all a dream, somehow luckily he hadn't woken Kate however he did look over in time to see her kick her paws out to the noise and make a slight whine whilst she rested.

Humphreys heart slowed back to its normal rate as he looked around and past Kate to the interior of the surrounding den, All seemed normal he looked back at Kate sleeping soundly next to where he once lay, she looked so at peace as she lay her mane half covering her forehead, her chest raising to fall softly after  
slowly he lowered himself back down next to Kate where she slumbered, he couldn`t help but drape his paw through her mane feeling the soft glow of yellow silk as it followed her form down to her back,  
{sigh...}" What are we going to do Kate?" he whispered under his breath as he drew patterns in her fur, As he finished muttering he heard a noise from the entrance of the den, a slow whispering flow of unrecognizable words which made his fur prick up as a shiver grew its way down his spine.

lifting his head once again he watched the entrance eventually looking back to Kate and standing up on all fours, the cold nights air taking a quick lash at his face as he exited to the dens exterior surroundings, The mountains seemed alive in this darkness , the only sounds present being that of the breeze occasionally rustling through the trees as if in search for something lost... perhaps the wind was a form of language from the mountains, old wolf folk talk.

For the rest of the night he sat watching from the dens entrance out to the ever-changing array of colors being formed from the changing time, the sound of the wind acting as if a form of comfort but reminder of what it was like without life, strangely finding it easier to close his eyes to the sound compared to silence, yet he never closed his eyes to sleep...

**::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::sunrise:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

"Mmmmm" Kate sighed to herself as she stretched and rolled over to face the entrance of their den, "oh there he goes again, watching the sunrise" she said to herself "Mmmm" she moaned as she stood up from her sleep stretching once again and yawning whilst she did soon re-focusing her blurry morning vision on Humphrey laying half against the mossy entrance wall to the den.

"Morning hun," Kate said to Humprey as she walked to his side  
"oh.. yeah morn.. {YAWN}. Kate" Humprey wearily replied looking to his side slightly, his eyes a blood moon of color.

"How long have you been awake?" Kate interrogated as she noticed his obvious sign of inadequate sleep.

"A while..." was all Humprey could say before his eyelids dropped over and his head began to droop slowly towards the floor, Kate used her head and neck placing them under Humphreys chin which Humphreys head soon used as a rest, Kate pushed Humphreys head slowly up using her own so that his head was up right before pulling away caringly then continuing on with  
"Oh Humphrey, you really are stubborn sometimes, you know you're not going to last the day?" Kate told Humphrey as he tried desperately to form his posture back up and hold it.

"Nooo, its fine Kate, I`m fine Kate, honestly" Humprey lied before walking further out of the den towards the path downwards,  
{YAWN}" Come on Kate lets get something to drink" Humprey looked back and stated, upon Kates reply was a quick roll of the eyes and shake of the head before accompanying her mate down the path, not because she was thirsty as such but more so down to that if she didn`t Humprey would most probably end up in a ditch ten feet down...

After they`d reached the lake and had a drink along with Kate finishing her "you need sleep" rants to Humprey" they decided to sit by the lake, just enjoy the day, they didn`t want a repeat of the day before, they`d chatted over many things including why Humphrey had stayed up practically all night which Kate had only by now managed to narrow down to a dream, neither of them wanted to discuss the upcoming worry which was that of the lack of food, they`d go out looking for some if it wasn`t already the fact that they had three different groups searching around every cranny of their territory, it sure was desperate times and neither did they want to discuss what would come of the desperate times what with them knowing of the saying "desperate times call for desperate measures"...

about an hour and a half had passed when they both heard the howl of Winston telling everyone that group two was back from their "hunt" more like "scavenge" at this point Humphrey thought to himself as he and Kate trotted back up the opposite side of the packs mound to where Winston and Evas den was...

upon arrival, it was clear that group two had little to no luck with what looked like some rabbits which had already been half eaten by the first wolves that had gotten to them in time  
"sigh... look" Winston began taking Humprey and Kate to one side away from the other Wolves ears "Kate, Humphrey I'm not sure how long our pack can sustain themselves, it`s up to me, us to keep them alive but how are we meant do that if we have no food, Wolves have been talking, talking rumours ,about the eastern pack, ever since he passed Garth" Winston said the last part with a low growl of disgust "our caribou, in particular, have been on the rapid decline, and in fact we`ve run out by the looks of things a" Humphrey butted in cutting Winston off.

"um about those ... rumors, I`m not trying to start anything but, I'm pretty sure they are true to some extent, yesterday" Humprey looked back at Kate then back to Winston "me and Kate went to the border between our and the eastern packs' territory and... Humphrey told Winston about their run in and incident regarding the caribou in the woods are Garth's reaction to Humprey and Kate.

"it`s by no means any proof but, thought it best to let you know, i mean what are we going to do, if they are cutting off the inflow of caribou and other animals then ... look i don`t want to believe it , but think about it" Humphrey finished somewhat flustered , Winston looked around not wanting to believe anything however believing "sigh, I`ll have to wait until Evas group returns from the hunt before I make any calls, along with group one, Damit, just don`t make contact with any wolf outside of our territory I'll see if I can sort this out... the last thing I want is for a contest for territory being held" he finished turning and walking off rather frustrated back towards his group to help dish out the scraps accordingly.

the rest of the day went by rather, depressingly, everyone would feel the inevitable approaching, however, there were still the few that managed to maintain a happy mood and tone within the pack, the main ones that could feel the darkness approaching were those who were part of the packs' protection order.

nightfall came slowly yet fast for many of course however Humprey couldn`t think it could of came sooner, falling straight into their sleeping corner within the den, eventually joined five minutes later by Kate who thought it pointless to stay up any longer with nothing to do nor anyone to talk to with Humprey being so tired.

as soon as Kate had laid down next to Humphrey he pulled himself closer into Kates side which she merely smiled at as Humphrey nestled his head deep into her fur, his eyes feeling somewhat wheezy from the lack of sleep and need for it  
ten-ish minutes later Humphrey was asleep nestled carefully into Kates side his warm breath against Kates side along with the rise and fall of his chest which Helped Kate begin to drop off to sleep, just before she did the distinct howl of Evas group arriving back echoed through the nights sky just as Kates' eyelids locked shut for the night...


	3. Chapter 3 dark times ahead

**I'm back with another chapter everyone, I`m unsure where to take this one, guess I'll do what I always do, flow with it it`s gonna be a long one so in one word... "Enjoy"**

The next morning it was a bit later than normal that Humphrey woke to his usual routine due to his lack of sleep the day before meaning that it was Kate who was the one at the entrance of the den.

Humphrey for a bit just sat and watched Kate as she rests against the entrance of the den unaware that Humphrey was awake and watching her, her silhouette shadowing the inside of the den stopping the sun from blinding Humphrey.

At least that was until Kate looked around "oh Humphrey your up" she turned away and out of the suns rays which hit Humphreys Eyes like a brick to the face causing him to roll around complaining to himself, eventually his eyes adjusted to the lights.

"Mmmm, your up early ain`t you?" Humphrey questioned.

"And you're up late" Kate replied looking over at Humphrey as he lay struggling to gain the strength to be able to stand.

"your funny" Kate continued as Humprey stood up, "what do you mean by that" Humprey asked after Yawning loudly.

"I dunno, you just are " Kate replied with an amused look on her face as she stood watching Humphrey stretch out across the den.

just as Humphrey was about to get to Kates side to again look at across the mountains Winston came rushing into the archway next to Kate to the den startling both of them.

"Dad? what is it, your here early" Kate asked watching him regain his posture and slow his panting.

"Kate" Winston started and then looked over to Humphrey "Humprey, there is a meeting between the Eastern and Western packs, I know its early but Garth wouldn`t have it any other way, I need you two there".

"wh, what, when why?" Humphrey asked starting to walk over to kate and Winston.

"it`s about the food crisis we`re having, I would have thought you would have known that by now Humprey" Winston questioned.

"sigh, yeah I know about that crisis, we all do" Humphrey finished not looking forward to what the meeting was going to hold along with the terms and conditions of whatever garth was going to try and enforce.

Winston nodded his head looking round to kate before turning and beginning his descent down the mound stopping for a brief moment "we have twenty minutes, you know where it`s held" before continuing his walk.

"what do you think he`s gonna say?" Kate questioned looking to him as he joined her side.

"I dunno, but whatever it is it ain`t gonna be good" he ended getting up and following after Winston's fresh paw prints shortly followed by Kate you looked back into their den before sighing and ran up to catch up with Humprey.

**::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::By the meeting hills:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

Humphrey sat with Kate atop a large Rock, he was looking at his paws trying to keep himself occupied whilst kate sat patiently aside him, occasionally catching him playing with his paws out of the corner of her eyes and telling him  
"Humprey, what are you doing? we need to look like we are professionals"  
"yeah I know, I`m just, just worried kate, this is garth we are talking about here, he`s hardly been reasonable since, well" Humphrey finished and straightened his back looking out onto the other side of the clearing.

soon enough no longer then a minute later two,five,nine wolves entered through the clearing opposite the Western packs territory shortly followed by another four wolves including garth among them thirteen Eastern packs in total in comparison with the eight Westerns it definitely was not a reassuring sight for any of them, even if we did have more back at the colony, they weren't true fighters, not like what Garth's wolves looked like that was...

"Garth" Winston began in a low tone while he raised his head atop the Rock centre to them Winstons gaurds a close metre away eaither side with the other three aside Humphrey and kate.

"well lookie where fellas, the old wolf showed up, I thought he`d be too tired from the lack of food a" he was cut off by Winston  
"how do you know about our food problem, Garth, what`s your involvement in all this?" Winston finished looking Garth up and down in disgust from above.

"Me" Garth began feeling accused and looking around at his guards "I merely heard it from one of your own, why would I have such an involvement"  
Winston merely huffed at the reply before continuing to say "what was the reason you called the meeting garth, I know your dying to speak it" Winston stated this time looking between garths guards eyeing them all up.

"and why so many wolves? do you plan on something happening?" Winston questioned.

"Oh don`t you worry about them, besides I could as you of the same thing. Winston" garth finished in disgust.

"I called you here to discuss a simple matter, territory, and in a similar form, what I own and what you own, in exchange for your North sector I will allow you a bit of my own food. garth finished with a sly smile crossing his face as he looked up to Winston before his eyes darted to kate and Humprey and continuing to say "isn`t like you need it...right?" turning his attention back to Winston  
"Hmmmm" was Winstons reply  
"Oh come on, you need food, I need territory, it`s a match made in heaven... isn`t that right Humprey and kate!?" Garth finished upon which both Humprey and kate gritted their teeth.

"yes..." Garth muttered to himself turning back to Winston atop the rock.

"If this is about Tony Garth th" Winston was cut from his words.

do, don, don`t, don`t say his name, I don`t want to hear his name, no no..no, in fact, I want to hear you apologize, in front of everyone one, go on, say it...Winston"  
as Winston stood still upon the rock not saying a word garths guards began to snarl upon Garth began to laugh, "you`ve got some balls, gotta give you that Winston, fine, I see you`re worked up, tired...Hungry, how about I let you think on it, the rest of today and tomorrow seems, oh whats the word, fair"  
"see you tomorrow afternoon, just before sundown" Garth finished before walking away out of sight back into his territory shortly followed by his wolves a few snarling backs at them the others clearly aggravated.

once all the wolves of the eastern back disappeared Winston dropped his posture and let out a sigh of relief looking down at his paws as Humphrey did at the beginning before taking a quick look over to Kate and Humprey both exchanging looks of worry to him , Winston merely closed his eyes and turned walking off of the rock and down out of sight of the two followed by his two designated guards.

"da" was all Kate could get out before he had gone and she closed her eyes in frustration sitting back down next to Humphrey who watched her sink closer to the ground a clear sadness overwhelming her.

"it could have been worse Kate" were the only words of comfort Humphrey could provide.

"oh yeah, what after the north sector, the south, east, west... then the mounds... you don`t get it Humprey you never did" Kate finished a clear change of tone and emotion taking Humprey back a bit making him lower his head in shame and shuffle on the spot uneasily next to her, both of them looking opposite ways awkwardly.

right as Humphrey was about to apologize Kate got up and Walked off muttering a similar form of words to "see you at the den" leaving Humprey alone with his single guard watching Kates tale and guards disappear into the grass making him lower his head again.

"you can go," Humphrey told his guard after a minute who left immediately after the suggestion.

it was a good solid thirty minutes before Humphrey decided to head off back to the den where he would hopefully somehow make it up to Kate before trying to come to a conclusion to this growing problem of theirs.

Humphrey walked into the dens arch his head low to the ground an obvious submissive posture as he stopped in the arch.

Kate sat at the corner of the den, "Humprey, stop kicking yourself, I overreacted, I shouldn`t of acting as I did, I`m sorry"  
"Kate, I don`t mind about taking the flack for what I said because right now... we have bigger things to worry about," Humphrey said still lowered to the ground catching kate out of the corner of his eye as she turned to face him.

Kate walked to him standing in front of him for a second before lowering her head to his and licking the side of his face making Humprey lift up slightly "I don`t blame you Humphrey" Kate said lastly before both of them pushed their heads together to symbolize their forgiveness for each other.

"I don`t know what to do about my dad though Humphrey" kate announced as she pulled away from the gesture.

"I`ll speak with him tomorrow, let him think over his plan then I`ll give him feedback...try and sway the outcome for the better" Humphrey reassured Kate pushing his head back against hers making Kate smile in affection.

"apart from that, I think it best we both get an early night today" Humphrey suggested to kate.

"what, now?" kate questioned wondering if Humprey was already tired.

"no, no not now later, it`s still morning babe" Humphrey replied looking back out of the den then back to Kate "and I think it best we enjoy today while we have it?" Humphrey finished as his belly rumbled in hunger which both Kate and he sighed at.

"Ok" was Kates reply looking from the ground to Humphrey before they both took their walk down the mound towards the lake...

**::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::that night::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

Humprey lay there wondering what the next day was holding for their pack and them both, wondering what this place would be in twenty-four hours, wondering if it would even be a place anymore, them ore he thought the more he worried until he felt his eyes fall to the exhaustion of his racing mind...

The last thought that went through his mind before he fell into a deep sleep next to Kate being...  
"what will happen to Kate..." before his eyes fell...

**::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::Humphreys dream::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

again it was he was tossed into his dreamscape, falling into his world of blurring red to yellow until he came to rest upon a floating hill of grass and pine cones and trees, the wind picking up the resting brown leaves throwing them around in swirling patterns out into the beyond of the hills which seemed to form the more he walked on, following the leaves out which formed a more wolf-like figure the more he followed.

the leaves changing color to a mixture of running yellow and white, a echoing call of unrecognisable audio , he sprinted after the cluster of flying leaves, fater he ran through the forming jungle of pine to water, more and more forms of leaves mixtures of brown and white, grey and white and russet and cream joining in for pursuit after the flying yellow and white, seemingly seconds or minutes...possibly hours went by in a flash of constant repetition of this scene a constant single echo of a scream at the beginning of each pass of the scene.

Humphrey eventually finding his floating form in a new scape of nothingness floating through a land of no up nor down a land of no direction nor feeling of forward nor back yet a feeling of change in direction with evry turn of his head...

**:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::not a dream:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

Humphrey woke sweating to the sight of Yellow and White besides him...


	4. Chapter 4 fear for the worst

**And again I`m back this time with chapter 4 and I`m probably going to make this one the longest one so far so it might be a bit until chapter 5, anyways I`m not going to ramble on anymore to enjoy...**

Humphrey lay there staring at the ceiling of their den as the suns arms stretched across it painting an array of yellow colors across it marking the wakening of a new day, he lay there lost in his mind of what may await in the dark shadows beyond their land, scared for himself, his freedom...Kate...

it was strange, every time something seemed perfect, there was always someone out there waiting to whisk it away, now the day had come it truly terrified him, rolling over to Kate it reminded him of what it could be, "ugh...god..." Humphrey whispered to himself as a tear escaped his eye quickly whipping it away before standing to slowly crane his head around to the entrance of the den.

just about the only thing currently comforting him was the feeling of the cool winds airlifting his fur to flow through it reminding him of when Kate held him and how perfect it all could be.

standing at the entrance of the den as he seemingly always did he couldn't help but watch not out across the mountains but the woods and the further mountains out beyond them and for a few seconds, he felt near to no emotion that he felt like breaking down.

"Humphrey" Kates voice echoed through the den in a clear emotion of worry.

Humprey looked around to see Kate sitting up clearly in a state of emotion looking from the ground to Humprey in a state of anxiety.

"come on Kate, come here" Humphrey beckoned kate forward to the entrance of the den where they shared a long reassuring hug.

"Kate... if things don`t go the way we want them to" Humphrey began looking from the ground between them to the mountains, the wind pushing his fur back across his face.

"I want you to go...I want you to find a life" Humphrey finished his eyes a clear glossy shade.

"don`t talk like that Humphrey..."Kate began pulling his snout around to face her "we`ll get through this, not just one of us, we`ll find a way" again both of them pushing their heads up against each other.

"I need to go," Humphrey said in a low tone whilst rubbing his head along hers enjoying the moment before pulling away to look into her deep brown eyes a clear sign of possible loss growing in them.

Kate closed her eyes sitting slowly back lowering her head towards the ground a tear escaping her eye, running down her snout following her shadowy outlines slowly to her nose to fall onto the soil below seeping away into it.

Humphreys' arm shifted softly from her shoulder as he walked away down and around the corner from the den.

Humphrey soon came into view of Winstons den ,a large gathering of the what was left of their guard section, he walked up the spiraling path to the den, it was a shadowy feeling as he entered Winstons den his eyes first met by Eva who looked from him to the ground before walking past Humprey outside, and that`s when Humphreys' eyes feel upon Winstons back, he sat in the corner of his den watching some rocks as he sat.

"Sir...Winston?" Humphrey started sitting down a few meters from him.

"Do you think he also had a hand in what happened a year ago?" Winston started turning his face slightly to Humprey who didn`t understand.

just as Humphrey was about to ask what "Lilly...I looked everywhere for her, did everything to find her, track her... to no prevail"  
Humprey gulped to his suddenly dry throat, he didn`t like to talk about Lilly, he still remembered hearing her shout but not seeing her..." sir... we can never know for sure" Humprey stated as he still sat anxiously.

a few moments went by with no word nor sound.

"we give them the north" was Winstons break to the silence, we nee" "But sir we" Humprey butted in standing up now perplexed at his decision to give in.

"I will not condemn my pack to death, it`s my job to keep everyone safe, keep everyone feed..." Winston finished the last part in a low tone.

"Winston, if we give them the north... they`ll come back for more" Humprey took a step slightly forward upon finishing.

"I`m aware Humphrey, but what other option do we have, we don`t have the wolves, the food...We just need more time, that`s all" was Winston's reply this time looking around directly at Humprey turning back to the wall upon finishing.

Humprey seeing no clear way to convince Winston not to start dishing out territory to the Easterns turned away dissatisfied and walked slowly out.

Just as he was about to leave Winston shouted back "upon the rocks from the last meeting...that is where the conditions will be set"Humphrey then continued on his way back out of the den and past the guard wolves who were all looking somewhat anxious for the possibility of this afternoon.

**::::::::::::::::::::::::::::After Humprey gets back to kate they decide to take a walk:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

Humphrey and Kate were both walking slowly down to the stream which they often visited  
"you know Humphrey" Kate began and stopped causing Humprey to stop two and both look at each other.

"you know I love you don't you?" Kate questioned Humphrey as she stood there in a questioning mood, she had really begun to question everything thing lately, perhaps it was because of the nearing possibilities Humprey thought to himself.

"Kate, babe, of course, I do Humphrey reassured her turning and nuzzling into her neck with his snout to show support.

"if something dose, Happen" Kate found it hard to continue "promise me you will run with me, and not stay?" Kate asked pulling away from Humprey a clear look of desperation for him to agree upon her face.

Humphrey just looked to the ground deciding to agree to spare her the pain of the possibility of him not. "I promise" was his response looking back up at her.

kate weakly smiled before returning Humphreys nuzzle.

they continued their walk down the often walked path towards the stream.

they sate aside the stream for a good hour before Humphrey decided he`d had enough of these conversations and took a dip in the stream to cool off for some fun, "Hahahaa, Humprey what are you doing? kate asked confused about Humphreys sudden change of mood and action.

"Ahhh.. you know, just enjoying myself, come on we might as well enjoy ourselves come on" Humphrey tried to persuade Kate to join him sinking below the water after.

Kate rolled her eyes and a smile grew upon her face as she decided to take a slow walk into the stream, she got about chest height in the water before she felt something grab her front legs pulling them out from under her causing her to fall head first into the water, she quickly pulled her legs up jumping up into the air slightly out of the water at the sudden rush of water over her face.

"AHHHHH..." kate screeched standing soaked in the water "AAHAHA" Humprey emerged from the water in front of Kate "ARGGG" Kate growled making Humphreys face fall "I`m gonna" Kate looked around her before splashing a Large amount of water over Humprey causing him to fall back into the water "HA" Kate laughed to herself.

Humphrey jumped back up from the water rolling kate over onto her back with Humprey ontop aside the shore, Both of them looking deep into the eyes of each other, Humphreys smile soon followed by Kates.

Kate rolled Humphrey over beside her and followed on top.

A surprised Humphrey lay there while Kate continued to smile on top but soon to did a smile re-emerge upon Humphreys' face, Kate smiled Tilting her head to the side slightly so that her mane flopped to one side slightly.

"so what do you plan on doing now big boy?" kate questioned slyly with a slight hint of submissiveness.

Humphrey lifted his Face into contact with Kates and both of their snouts came into contact with each other, Kates eyes soon falling after Humphreys, they lay there connected for a good amount of unmeasurable time changing position a couple of times on the shoreline.  
(rustling) "Ohhhhh, wrong room..." a guard wolf said quietly to himself backing into the leaves again (rustling)

**::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::eight hours later::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

Humphrey placed himself alongside Kate upon the rock aside Winstons, giving a quick smile to Himself looking over to Kate and to the floor, Twenty-two wolves guarded the rocks surrounding the meeting place of the eastern Packs side watching out across to where the two packs lines drew, waiting.

not soon after did the rustling begin followed up by one, ten, nineteen, twenty-five, thirty-two, and finally Garth who was smiling slyly to himself as he emerged flanked by Three guarded either side.

a clear rush of unsettling rushed through the Eastern packs stationed wolves, Winston giving looks two and from a couple of his guards for reassurance before turning full attention to garth as he stood below watching him too.

"So" Garth began tilting his head to one side "did you play ball, or are you too tired?" garth asked looking two and from Humprey and Winston as they stood atop either of their rocks.

Winston stood atop his rock for a bit still trying to convince himself to sell his north territory.

"perhaps I can convince you?" Garth said loudly making a quick swift movement with his tale singling out a single lone guard of the Eastern pack, Two western pack guards darted for the guard, all of the eastern pack guards flinched unsure on if to make a defensive move or to stay looking between each other and Winston as the single Gaurd got pulled to the floor by the two trying desperately to kick his paws out at the two.

not much could be told of what was happening due to the commotion around the wolf but it was clear that one's neck was in one's mouth, the kicking died down, one of the western guards walked back to garths side, the other his Jaws leashed around Winstons guards neck a small desperate last shack of the guard before the struggling ceased...

Winston took a step back on his perch looking to garth as if he a mad wolf.

Humprey desperately looking from Winston to the guard laying on the floor, he wanted to help, do something but it would only lead to his body joining the beginning of a large count.

Kate looking horrified at the scene which had just taken place in less than forty-five seconds looking to Winston as well then to Humphrey who was clearly agitated pulling him back down and telling him to sit for the sake of his own well-being.

"so?" Garth began " did I convince you?" he asked looking up and around the surrounding wolves looking down on him and his thirty-two guards one of which was licking their teeth clean of an obvious substance.

"Garth... this is not law anymore, yo" he was cut off by garth getting agitated and hurrying him along  
"yes yes blah blah, who cares, yes or no or do I have to convince you again? Garth asked looking around at the nice array of wolves surrounding the rock perches until his eyes came to rest on Humphrey soon darting back to Winston. "Hmm?"  
Winston looked to his side slightly trying to make eye contact with Humphrey and Kate stopping half way and turning back to Garth to make an executive decision, "Take it" he reluctantly told garth.

garth huffed triumphantly to himself flicking his tale forward for his guards who one by one jumped up the rocks passing closely by Winston who watched them out of the corner of his eye, not showing any sign of submission to them as each one snarled and growled upon passing, eventually Garth followed suit of his guards stopping next to Winston for a second.

"Oh and by the way, you have a good looking daughter" he finished and continued on his way, this Winston growled at looking to face |Garth as he moved towards the northern sector to establish new borders.

the eastern pack left with the sight of a motionless fellow pack wolf lying below Winstons rock a look of uncertainty clawing at a few of them.

Winstons face glowing with a mixture of frustration, extream Anger and worry for the future to come past this point, he stood there heavily breathing for a few seconds before the two looked down at the motionless wolf then back up to his packs guards  
"Back to your posts, I`ll tend to see that the new borders are correctly and fairly located" saying the last part looking back at the distant view of Garth and his wolves disappear north of their sector into some bushes then looking back Humprey caught his attention.

"no Humphrey, we cannot fight, we`ll risk losing more" Winston replied to Humphreys facial expression.

"sorry what?" Humphrey questioned Winston in front of everyone making Kate look up to the side slightly.

we`ll lose more, either way, it just depends if we do it passively, or not" Humprey finished still staring with anger at Winston for his lack of emotion for the recently lost wolf who still lay below Winston un-mourned.

"do not question me Humphrey, I make the executive decisions, not you" Winston raised himself in Humphreys direction, Kates ears picking up her about to jump in and stop Humprey.

"oh so if I don`t question you, who will, no-one, because if that`s how you want it you`ll have your way soon enough because we`ll all be dead!" Humprey snarled at Winston who stood upon his rock wanting to say something eventually speaking up to Humprey with.

"you`re dismissed Humphrey, go home, I don`t want you to be a part of this anymore" He ordered.  
"sorry b" Humphrey tried but was abruptly cut off again by Winston.

"no, you don`t get to say anything anymore, I'm ordering you, leave, go home, you don`t belong here" Winston finished half shouting in his temper.

Humphrey turned and walked frustratingly off the rock and down towards the mounds, Kate giving her father a somewhat disapproving look before too jumping down after Humphrey.

Kate walked slightly behind Humphrey lowered slightly to the ground in his paces.  
"Humprey?" she tried to start a conversation.

"sigh, Kate, I`m worried for everyone here, you, me, everyone...if things continue like this we`ll all die" Humprey finished looking to the ground panting in frustration.

"I know you do" Kate replied to which Humphrey looked over at her "I`m sorry Kate, I shouldn`t have acted like that"  
"what`s done is done" was all that Kates words of wisdom could conger up.

"All we can do, and all I think we should do right now is sleep, today's been too long , for everyone" Kate said this as she walked over to his side pressing up against him and putting her head under his to lift his up, they then looked at each other before agreeing non-verbally that that was indeed the best course of action.

and not too long from then Humphrey yet again found himself with kate curled up against him in the darkened hollow, again the cool wind stroking along his back, again his thought pondering the future and never anything else.

and yet again... he joined the world of floating imagination and untold secrets that was...

Sleep...


	5. Chapter 5 feard plans

**Again I`m back with another hopefully long waiting chapter, and please remember if you are enjoying why not like and or review since I love reading your comments, who knows if you drop a paragraph in about a character you would like to see including some of their hobbies and personality traits, I may just include them in one of my upcoming chapters for you.**

**Anyways I'm just going to cut straight into the story from where we left off... enjoy...**

Humphrey was already up before the sun had even begun to rise, already he was watching the dark mountains a solid hour before they would begin to glow yellow with spirit, and already he had begun to wonder, to imagine what everyone else was up to, in particular, Garth, what evil deeds he had committed within such a small space of a night, perhaps he was over thinking it, evil had to sleep as well right, the more and more Humphrey thought about garth it seemed the more and more he began to think of him as... not a wolf ... he guessed was the way to put it.

"ah, even in the dark of night the wind still seemed to give comfort to him," Humprey thought to himself as he sat perched solidly on the cliff edge from the entrance of his den where Kate lay protected from the elements.

but it didn`t matter, no matter how much he thought of something else, something nice, something kind, he was always being nagged at by the surrounding walls closing in which had proven its self so real the day before.

Humprey turned to walk back inside the hollow turning the corner to Ka... "Kate?" Humphrey questioned for a second, there was no kate, he looked around fear taking a grip so suddenly of his mind  
"Humphrey?" kate wearily asked standing on the opposite side of the den looking ever so tired.

Humphreys posture lowered in relief sighing as he did so before taking a slow walk to her.

"Why are you up so (Yawn)... early?" she questioned leaning her head on his shoulder for support.

"What can I say, I enjoy watching you sleep" Humphrey finished then suddenly made an (I didn`t mean to come across like that face)  
Kate tiredly chuckled to herself before she replied, "Such a way with yours, creepy" Kate mocked Humphrey.

"Hey, I didn`t mean it to come across that way I just-just didn`t think" Humprey finished somewhat embarrassed by his mess-up.

"he, your to serious Humphrey, I was joking silly, now go back to bed, come on, I`ll never know why you always get up this early" Kate said whilst she walked back over to the corner of the den plotting herself down on the floor before looking up confused at Humphrey still standing where he last was.

"umm, I think I`ll stay watch for the rest of the night" Humphrey somewhat lied to Kate for a reason to stay up.

Kate just sighed and rolled her eyes turning herself over sadly until she rest facing into the wall a worried expression upon her face which Humprey could not see.

Humphrey just looked at the ground disappointingly looking up a few seconds later to turn back to the entrance of the den.

Kate lay there still awake, worried about Humphrey and his sudden fear of something happening to them and or her, she suddenly felt a shift of warmth behind her , it was Humprey, he had decided to join her after all, huh she thought to herself as she snuggled her back into him happy that Humprey hadn`t decided to stay up the rest of the night to as he put it "keep watch".

**::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::Later in the morning::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

Humphrey woke for the second time that day, this time it was to the sunlight streaming throughout the den across him and kate as they lay there enjoying the rays of warmth.

Humphrey lay about two hours in the den, the warmth of each other crossed with the rays was overwhelmingly enjoyable and comfortable, considering everything that had happened the day before, everyone had seemed to forget perhaps out of fear, forcing themselves to forget or maybe they did just forget, but there was no doubt in Humphreys mind that it would still be there in every wolves mind.

Humphrey and kate both sat at the stream watching the water flow around the pebbles at the shore, they had spoken about just about everything that had come to mind by that point, the question of what next jumping next in line with each passing of another which Humphrey guessed was the reason they both found themselves staring at the water.

"What now?" Humphrey broke the silence with the inevitable.

Kates' ears stopped upon her head at the question as she looked at her reflection.

"Why are we worrying so much Humphrey?" Kate questioned still watching her reflection amongst the pebbles in the water.  
"look around Kate, everyones acting like nothing happened yesterday, I`m afraid that if" Humphrey looked around for a moment stuttering on his words"If we don`t do something we`ll end up a forgotten memory" Humphrey looked at kate right as she looked around Humphreys' head slightly tilted in a sad way.

"Humphrey we`ll be fine, we're still a pack of fifty" kate attempted to make her mate happy  
"and then forty-nine" Humprey depressingly retorted.

"Humphrey, Kate replied agitated don`t get smart with me, I`m trying to make you feel better, stop being so negative all the time" Kate finished watching Humprey as he lowered his head to the ground sadly and submissively feeling bad for his retort.

Kate looked back at the water calming down quickly now feeling bad for her reaction, what was happening, maybe it was the hunger, the mix of everything happening, her fathers' current predicament or maybe a bit of everything together.

"I`m sorry Humphrey, your right look at what`s happening we are in a box" Kate admitted out loud.

they both continued to sit there completely quiet watching the water continue to flow, wolves just walking past enjoying their day as if nothing had happened.

however it didn`t take long for "Kate? Humphrey?" came the voice of a familiar.

"yes, dad" Kate replied turning her head towards the voice where her eyes fell upon Winston soon followed by Humphreys' eyes.  
"they um, they held up a small portion of their bargain, we have A caribou" Winston stated still an obvious other reason he came over her to talk to them on his mind.

"A caribou?" Humphrey butted in moving Winston's attention to him.

"How is a caribou meant to feed fifty wolves?" Humprey challenged Winston.

"Forty-eight," Winston said closing his eyes at the figures "I`ve lost two and I cannot prove it was Garth either, they`re just gone" Winston finished now looking up at Kate with a somewhat of a desperate look in his eyes before he looked back at the ground.

Humphrey too closed his eyes and looked at the ground unsure how to respond.

"we don`t need to prove it`s him, we know it`s him" Humphrey eventually spoke up to Winston in response followed by kate "Dad if we don`t do something he`ll just keep doing this"  
"yes I know, but what do you suggest we do about it, and perhaps we should take this conversation somewhere more private?" Winston stated the last part looking around slightly at the wolves around playing and drinking.

Humphrey and kate both stood up swiftly before following Winston into some bushes in the direction of a cut off section of the mounds.

"if we are going to find a way to counter this threat you know we are going to need to tell everyone else what is happening, including what has happend," Humprey told Winston as they entered into a clearing aside a large white rock face aside their mounds.

"Humphrey, I am aware," Winston said sternly facing Humphrey as he did so afterward planting himself on the ground aside from the white rock.

"so why don`t we start what we cam here to discuss, what do we do now?" Kate now spoke clearly towards the both of Humprey and Winston both of which looked sideways to her before Humprey too plotted himself down opposite Winston staying quite.

"There is nothing we can do" Humphrey soon spoke up looking up to the both of them after he did.

"we hide, we die"  
"we fight, we die" Humphrey continued.

"so what do you recommend we do?" both kate and Winston asked seeing no way out themselves.

"we must run" Humphrey finished looking two and from each of them as they too viewed that as the only way out.

"but how, the only way out is through the Eastern packs' territory, if |Garth isn`t afraid to do what he did in our territory then what do you think he`ll do in his own?" Kate questioned Humphreys plan.

Humphrey stood there for a second before replying with the inevitable "not all of us can make it, we will have losses, but if you think for one second I`m abandoning someone" Humprey looked up at Winston who momentarily sighed afterward at the only currently available plan.

"none of us know our way around the eastern packs' territory, I don`t see how we can navigate out" Kate spoke up.

"I do" Winston replied continuing with "when Tony was still, alive I was able to walk a bit around their territory in his company during our meetings, since then I`ve been unable to get back in, but I do remember a nice chunk of their territory, just enough to guide through it to the great beyond" Winston finished  
"hat about the children?" Humphrey asked looking into Winstons' eyes at the last part.

"they`ll have to do their best" Winston reluctantly admitted looking away from the both of Humphrey and kate when he did finish.

as much as Humphrey thought that Winston's morals here were wrong he knew that it was how it would have to be and so choose not to pursue it further and sighed instead.

"When?" Winston asked finally after a few second silence between all three of them  
Humphrey looked up at Winston who then continued and asked: "And when?"  
"...We need to move soon" Humphrey took a moment to make his mind up on when would be best to make a move on the plan "Tomorrow" Humphrey finally announced to both kate and Winston.

"Tomorrow, that gives me barely any time to spread the word" Winston replied confused about how he was supposed to organize everyone by then.

"good, think about it Winston we`re boxed in, it`s highly likely that garth has wolves on the inside by now, We know he runs off of enforcing fear on others, what if he`s turned wolves against us already, what if out of that forty-eight of us left there are only twenty truly loyal...Tomorrow is our best bet, we leave it to last second to tell everyone too" Humphrey finished standing up ready to walk away, rain starting to trickle from the near grey clouds above "The clearing where Lilly disappeared, that is where" it was the only place near to the sidelines of the Eastern packs territory to the valley side leading around the borders of the eastern and posed the best possible chance of escape.

And with that Humphrey trotted off through the bushes leaving Kate and Winston alone in the small clearing aside the mounds.  
"This has been our home for generations Winston, and we`re about to abandon it" Kate looked up at Winston as the rain picked up thudding the ground to mud and highlighting the fur upon the each of them as the sat there.

"I have no choice kate, we cannot fight after all, just because we have been here for so long doesn't make it our home, Home is where we are" Winston stated trying to convince Kate.

"You know what I mean," Kate said disapprovingly before standing up herself and walk off through the bushes towards her and Humphreys den for shelter.

The rain thudded the ground, darkened the once light, flattened grass to the ground.

the wind lashed at the pine trees around throwing waves of water upon the unfortunates below.

Kate soon joined Humphrey in their den shaking off her fur coat as she entered the sheltered area leaving her damp fur astray from their usual neat positions opening her eyes after shaking to Humprey sitting a few meters in front of her facing her but looking somewhat down at the ground his Furr darkened by the rain dripping beneath him forming a small puddle spreading slowly outwards.

"I don`t know what tomorrow's going to be like Kate" Humphrey spoke up still watching the floor below his feet as the water ran around them.

"Humphrey, no one does, no matter what happens it doesn't matter" Kate comforted Humprey him being in a clear state of worry and emotion given the current sudden changes of plan and everything else on top of it.

"why is this all happening to us kate, What have we done wrong?" Humphrey questioned on the verge of what seemed to kate as some kind of break down.

"so much has happened in the space of three days, I`m trying to do a job that isn`t for me, I, I I`m (heavy and quick breathing looking around in panic)  
Kate had walked over to Humphrey placing a paw on his side to try and comfort him and leaning down to his head height to try and take his attention away from whatever was running through his head.

Humphreys breathing slowed and he closed his eyes as he felt Kate now press her head along the side of his nudging him slightly along his snout  
"(Sigh)oh Humphrey" Kate softly said as she continued nudging her snout along his for comfort  
we`ll get through this, you`ll get through this, I have faith in you, Humphrey, whatever we have to do, we do" kate finished now leaning away from Humphrey allowing him to slowly turn his head to face her only to turn away a moment after.

"Humphrey?, Are you ok?" Kate asked sadly following his head as it dropped again towards the floor.

Humphrey just nodded his head in a late reply falling shortly after into Kates front as she sat beside him, Kate sat there Humphrey pressed up against her front half laying half sitting his eyes closed in a mixture of emotions unknown and un-known to kate.

Kate soon closed her eyes and lent her head on top of his "it`s ok" Kate whispered after a good ten seconds "we`ll get through this" another ten seconds after that.

Humphreys heart occasionally stuttering between breaths against kate  
and soon enough Humphreys breathing had slowed and he had managed to achieve sleep in a mere eight minutes, Kate slowly settling him down ten minutes after he had and for a change it was kate that night that watched over the mountains of the distance, the idea of guarding Humprey was a strange occurrence to her but she liked it, she now understood why he liked to be the last to sleep so much, the winds formed a sort of nostalgic tone.

**:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::Humphreys dream::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

falling back into this world was becoming the norm for Humphrey now, it was starting to become more of a chore now, falling until he came down into position for what always seemed like an organized play, again the yellow and white gust of leaves flowed like a running wolf across his vision, the world turning with his head no matter where he looked was the same scene, a replay.

but this time, this time it was different the yellow and white leaves passed over a dull outline of a wolf shape laying beside a log scrabbling as if it had fallen.

turning his head to only see the creeping grey gaining with the Russet sun in the back watching overspreading the darkness, flooding everything that had previously been in his dream and again he fell... he fell for minutes hours, he could never tell in that place.

upon landing it was strange, everything had tone, everything had meaning to their color leaves now animals, colors now resembled shadow and light yet nothing seemed quite right he couldn`t explain any of it if his life depended on it.

the sudden change of everything within his dream rendered him unable to explain any of it, it was too much, he slammed his eyes closed everything went out, no sound, no wind, no smell, no touch, not even the feeling of weightlessness fell upon him just...nothing, unable to explain and understand anything but emotion which even then was hard at best.

opening his eyes was perhaps the strangest thing of all because his feelings, senses all came back only not able to do anything.

he could smell however not smell anything.

he could see however there was nothing to see.

he could feel yet there was nothing to feel.

he could move yet there was no gyro to move with.

so how could he really know that his senses were back, why was he dreaming about this, what did it all mean, it was all so dreamy all so obviously and blatantly un-natural that it seemed real on an extream end of the spectrum.

And as if someone turned off the sun in the midst of a day... it went dark...

**There we go, guys, chapter 5 done finally, sorry for the late update I`m just struggling with finding the time at the moment however I do have a two week period coming up where I should be able to get a nice chunk of chapters done **  
**Anyways if you enjoyed please favorite and or follow and if you feel like it drop a comment on your favorite chapter along with possible plot twists you would like to see, who knows maybe I`ll use them in future chapters...**

**until chapter 6 Cya around...**


	6. Chapter 6 visions taking no effect

**Don`t feel like I need to do the whole I`m back thing but yeah I'm back this time with a hopefully anticipated chapter 6 and this is where things are going to hopefully heat up, it`s taken 5 chapters to get to this point and don`t worry it`s still nowhere near the end as I wish to eventually reach 100k words so let`s get started... **

**Enjoy...**

{deep breath} Todays is the day where they would escape their impending doom which nested itself closer with each passing day, Humphrey had been standing aside the entrance of his den for a while now, The bitter wind slashing at his face but he stood tall, today there was going to be little to no time for backing down, the moment they committed to this plan was the moment of no return.

He looked back as he often did at kate watching her fur sway in the breeze as she lay a few meters in the den occasionally shifting position {sigh} Humphrey switched his attention back to the outdoors  
"Is this the last time I will watch the clouds ponder these mountains" he questioned himself softly a large mix of emotions flooding each corner of his mind.

The wind picked up it rushed fast across Humphreys' face making him squint as he looked in its direction, The clouds were dark in the distance, they carried with them the cover that would serve them a mere hour from then.

"I`m guessing today is the day?" came Kates voice a low evenly minded tone.

Humphrey sat still looking to the trodden ground below his paws turning back to Kate afterward "We have no choice Kate, there is no other way, we leave an hour from now, all of us" Humphrey said solemnly facing her the wind pushes his fur aside his face.

Kate looked to the floor aside her taking in the final decision of Humphrey walking over to his side to watch the far landscapes before their leave.

"Where do we go, after we get out?" Kate questioned as she sat inches from his side watching out towards the great pines.

"We keep going, We keep going until we find somewhere safe somewhere we can live in peace" Humphrey finished gently nuzzling into Kates side afterward for comfort from the harsh winds which had smacked against him for such a time.

As if in fast forward they watched the minutes pass by in the rolling clouds.

Soon enough the anticipated Winston showed up to their den with the news of what they had hoped to avoid he made his way up the mounds hill watching the two of them as he went, he sat next to the two of them ready to tell them the news  
"we`re no longer forty-eight" he said almost silently, the atmosphere was a dull unforgiving one which sent shivers down their spins yet what did they expect.

"we`re thirty-nine, And of that amount, only ten others wish to come, As for the others, they`re all to scared figure they`ll stand a better chance holding through in their dens" Winston closed his eyes upon finishing bringing his head towards the ground almost in a defeatist manner.

Humphrey spoke up quietly "It`s fear Winston, fear of loss, no one likes the feeling yet sometimes it always finds its way to you" The surroundings filled with a low ery whistle of the wind, none of them had experienced a moment quite like it yet it was always there perhaps intensified given the circumstances but it never before had felt quite like this.

"When did everyone find out about us leaving?" Humphrey soon asked the wind still harsh at his face.

"About half an hour ago I finished around all the dens to I musta started like three-ish hours ago" Winston replied a hint of uncertainty upon his tone.

Humphrey nodded his head slightly to his response looking to Kate afterward "Kate, we`re gonna need to leave soon and before we do, in case anything, anything you know.." Kate interrupted his speech to assure him that "Nothing is going to happen, we`ll get through this, we always do and will" Humphrey smiled not completely convinced yet tried his best not to look as if he doubted.

**:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::After meeting with what few sceptical wolves wished to follow:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

The clouds were now upon them casting their heavy misty shadows overhead however the rain had not yet struck them, the scene before everyone was a doubt one, every shadow looked darker, every tree and bush looked lower than usual.

No one seemed in the mood to talk, everyone just sat there waiting for the rain to start hailing down, the few couples which had shown sat close to one and other worried about what may unravel in the next hour or so...

A whole twenty minutes had passed not a single word exchanged between one to another, not even a question about what was going to happen, nor a question to what the plan was, probably because everyone had their own plan Humphrey thought to himself as he felt a droplet of water impact his snout making him look up at the swirling dark above soon lowering his head back to ground level giving everyone a {just wait} look shaking his head side to side slightly...

it didn`t take long for the rain to pick up into a storm of bullets whipping around everyone's fur and sleekening it to the ground Humphrey gave Winston a look which meant nothing to Winston but "it`s time" whispering it to himself, They both lifted themselves from the ground shortly followed by the rest of the anxious wolves who one by one looked back towards there soon to be memory of home...

they moved slowly through their territory their paws sinking into the ever-growing thick mud beneath them, There was no light but the dull grey rays of sunlight which seemed to pierce the thinnest layers of the clouds, water dripped from their noses as they made their way towards the meeting of the divides where they would cross the line into hell before a unknown freedom...

Eventually they lined the border into the Eastern territory everyone one of them soaked from head to paw awaiting the go ahead which some may not return from.

Humphrey took a step forward just before entering the territory turning his head back slightly "When you enter, move fast, if you get caught they will kill you, but first they must catch you" Humphrey didn`t have any idea as to where the speech came from, he didn`t see it as a moral boost, nor a reasurance, he just said it...

And with that he entred through the bushes to the East, there was no evil chasing that he knew of, nor there any noises aside the pitter patter of the rain, prehapse the reason he kept running faster and faster was down to the building fear of never seeing Kate, or maybe it was the fear of dying or proving it could be done, but none the less he ran faster then he could have ever imagined dodging branches, logs, rocks soon stopping afront one {Heavy panting}  
Humphrey looked back then around, to his left, to his right... nothing which way did he come again {snapping twig to his side} his fuurr stood on end before he took off in the untellable direction of where he faced guided by the fear he had built up inside him up to this point.

And suddenly he hit something making him {snarl} for a quick second until he realised who it was "Kate?" and then it dissapeard, it was a rock, he shock his head before continuing onwards and that was when he hear it, the thing he feard would happen, A howl peirced the night sky searching its way through the pines in every direction they found somebody.

"Humphrey run!" Humphrey looked behind himself quickly to see kate panting aside a large moss coverd rock looking at him in a state of alarm at him just standing there.

She ran quickly followed by Humphrey both weaving in and out of all manner of obsticals which seemed to appear from nowhere, the sound of rustling grew closer along with the sprinting of a unknown creature from all sides, there was no time for looking the adrenaline was taking control pushing him even faster then he thought his body capable of.

And that was the moment hel ooked to his right and saw the thing he hoped to never see, A sprinting blur of dark grey following inbetween blurring bushes aside him mer metres away  
and then with no warning just up ahead a large Grey wolf walked out of a large berry bush crowling teeth beared a glare of death upon its eyes Both Humphrey and Kate came to a startling hault afront the wolf which began a circle around both of them.

Kate assumed her intimidation stance too bearing her teeth a sense of death growing closer in Humphreys mind as he too presented his dagger like teeth to the unknown wolf who pushed its ground towards Kate who Now had began walking back in fear but none the less showing no sign of giving up and still bore her teeth.

Humphrey stood aside from the wolf almost behind the Dark wolf who was about to push kate against a rock behind her.

He had to do it or his fears would become a reality, He jumped for the wolfs neck snagging his teeth around the wolfs neck for a second before they punctured the skin, the wolf reared back pushing Humphrey away who fell to the floor only to immediatly stand back up in attack form pouncing again at the wolf whos attention was now drawn to him clawns met furr where skin was punctured, Teeth nipped and ripped away at chunks of skin, blood was drawn and shown {Lightning struck a pine tree aside them iluminating the clash of daggers before Kate who stood back for a moment taking in the sence for a second loosing all ability to control herself and jump in to defend her mate, the flash illuminated the crimson blood with bore itself upon both wolves.

The wolf took a swing at Humphrey who was samacked away by razor claws slicing through the side of his neck, more howling erupted from around them a sigh of more closing the gap to them, they had to continue.

"KATE, RUN!" Humphrey howled as he was pushed back by the advancing wolf who took little to no acknolegment of kate anymore.  
and then it came, A roar from behind Humphrey, A roar which shock every bone inside him and froze both wolves in place as they heard the behemoth close the distance through the grass behind Humphrey.

A Gigantic figure as tall as a pine struck through the grass elluminated by the shortly following flash of lightning in the distance, A bear.  
Humphrey jumped aside as the bear took a swing with its serrated claws which mesured in unimaginable length at the wolf which once seemed a overmatch, The unknown wolf ragdolled into a near by bush "KATE, RUN!" Humphrey called once again as he was about to pass her looking back after he did at the Bear which stared right back falling back down on its fours to begin a charge at them and that was the last he saw of the Bear as he dissaperd into the bushes he and Kate had began to ran into.

There was no time for bleeding of taking care of any damage all that matterd now was running no matter how much agoney that Humphrey felt grow from his wounds he had to keep gowing for he knew that if he stopped he would surely not see the edge of these woods, he felt his legs begin to slow, his mind begin to weaken, his knees begin to buckle under his weight but he kept himself focused on the light that drove him sprinting just ahead of him unaware of the pain surging its way through the one behind her.

Humphrey didn`t remember exiting the pines nor the end of the storm the only thing he rememberd was the drop into darkness and the rocky floor under him seem to impact down the lenght of him followed by the vibrations of tumbling head over tail to a stop...

However just before the world went dark he rememberd a glow flashing afront his vision and then there was dark...

**:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::With Winston (seven hours later ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

He Impacted the ground roughly feeling the crumble of his bones as he impacted, mud forming a new wet coat over his furr  
looking up there he was, the one he had somehow lost it all to, "Garth" Winston said a tone of desgust inttruding upon his voice as he announced who the one above him was.

"Oh, you know it`s me i thought that in your old age you`d grown blind old wolf" garth replied mockingly as he circled around to Winstons head as he laid there rithing and panting in pain upon them mud  
Winston did not reply but layed there awaiting his fate to close the walls finally.

"tell me, the other day when i told you that you have a good looking daughter, did you think i was talking about Kate?" Garth continued ending with a sly smile whilst watching the truth consum Winston who tried to make a movement to garth growling as he did so only to fall back to the mud when garth placed a firm paw ontop of Winstons side.

"you know, Garth, you think your the rightful ruler yet you decive and push your father to the end of the tether until one day you`ve pushed him until he`s so weak that you did the unthinkable, That`s right Garth i too know truths untold about you" Winston finished with a painful chuckle to himself as Garth looked to his sides to see his loyals Take a small shuffle back at what they heard  
"{hahahaa} and the best thing is they don`t even doubt that i`m telling the truth, you`re no leader you`re just a..." and with that was the dull snap which paced its way around the surounding clearing dulled down to the thick forst of pines incircling the gathering...

**:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::Back with Kate and what remains of the group:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

Kate sat shadowing the one she loved and cared for above all who bore the most marks of the hours before {Sigh} Kate looked over his body as he lay there the obvious yet faint rise and fall of ribs as he slept.

Kate had closed her eyes still aware they still had quite some travelling to do before they where out of the distance that the eastern wolves would most likely track.

"Kate?" came the struggled voice of Humphrey making Kate somewhat jump above him and shoot her eyes open to see Humphrey turn his face to her  
"wha, what happend?" Humphrey asked as he forced himself to sit up right which Kate tried to stop but he refuesed by pushing her paw away with his.

Kate closed her eyes before explaining, "honestly i don`t know you where gone when i looked back i searched everywhere until I found you leaning up against a log almost hidden by the shrubbary, I don`t know how i would of gotten you out without the help of Lilly" kate finished opening her eyes and craining her neck around to a quite real and quite alive...

"Lilly?..."

**AHHHHHH damit sorry guys ha gonna leave it there for ya so if you want more look forward to Chapter huh 7 already...**  
**Again if you enjoyed feel free to drop a follow here and there and or a review on what you think of the story so far and what you may think my plans are from here on out i`m always intrested in everyones input on what they think, who knows if you give a nice plot line from now on for this story i may take some things from it and give you some of the credit , you never know, anyways cya guys in the next one...**


	7. Chapter 7 Off the beaten path

**I'm back guys and yes I know it has been quite a while and I do apologize for my late update on my story which I hope you are all enjoying. I had some things come up irl which I know seems the common thing that writers seem to say when they stop writing for an extended period of time but I can assure you that I will be finishing this story one day and it will not be another discontinued story which everyone hates. I also watched the 1995 film Balto for the first time yesterday so look forward to some possible ideas being implemented soon...**

**Anyways I`ve talked enough so enjoy...**

"Lilly?" Humphrey questioned, perplexed at her sitting in front of him a few meters away. She just sat there shuffling her paws along the damp ground in a rather distressed manner.

"H.. Hey Humphrey." She eventually stuttered out looking up at him with her bright Lavender eyes, then darting them away back to the floor.

Kate looked the floor in front of Humphrey then back up and around to her sister who had been missing for over a year with nothing but theories following her disappearance until now.

"Lilly? I don't know what happened when you were in there." Kate looked around past Humphrey back to the gloomy line of Pines shadowed by the remnants of the storm which had served once as their escape then back to Lilly "But..." Kate had lost her words, unsure of what to say to reassure Lily that everything was fine.

As Kate stood a front, Lilly was struggling to find her words. A silencing howl split the skies behind them easily a mere kilometer away or even closer which caught everyone's attention. All of them looking into the line of darkness which they had recently passed through and barely made it out of.

the howl carried with it a chill which crept its way around each of them.

"W..we need to move," Kate stated, looking from Lily to Humphrey. Upon doing so her spirit dropped.

{whine} Humphrey had stood up on three of his paws in an attempt to follow Kate.

"Ah...{whine}" He fell down on his front leg. An obvious trickle of blood escaping a gash along his upper front leg.

Kate walked up to him and slowly lowering herself down next to him, offering support for him which he took. He leaned half his body on Kate who hadn't yet spoken about the true extent of his injuries nor had Humphrey himself "We need to move." Kate continued, looking to Lilly who nodded and soon passed Kate, who escorted an injured Humphrey trailed the familiar pitter-patter of red behind him.

Another howl echoed out from behind Lilly, making her look back at the darkness which slowly grew fainter; trailing off towards the left behind the Western pack's territory...

Humphrey stopped limping aside Kate for a moment to turn and ask her, "What about the others?"

Kate's head drooped in sadness, giving him quite an obvious answer before all three of them turned to the journey which lay ahead...

**Ben Cocks - So Cold (The Good Wife Trailer) or search: So Cold~ Balto MV for the full experience**

_~Oh, you can't hear me cry, See my dreams all die, From where you're standing On your own.~_

_~It's so quiet here And I feel so cold This house no longer Feels like home.~_

_~ohhh... Mmmm ohhh... Mmmm~_

_~Oh, when you told me you'd leave I felt like I couldn't breathe My aching body fell to the floor Then I called you at home~_

They continued their trailing walk across the beyond lands towards the mountains which once seemed like a view from a mound. Now, much more of a looming omen which towered ever nearer with each step...

_~You said that you weren't alone I should've known better Now it hurts much more.~_

_~ohhh... Mmmm ohhh... Mmmm~_

_~You caused my heart to bleed and You still owe me a reason Cause I can't figure out why...~_

_~Why I'm alone and freezing While you're in the bed that she's in And I'm just left alone to cry.~_

Humphrey had shifted his weight off of Kate and was managing a slow occasional trot along with the others. He could still feel the pain attempting to pull his eyes down to the darkness which he knew awaited everyone eventually, but he knew he had something to prolong that period of in between. It was called kate...

_~ohhh... ohhh Yeahh... Yeahh Yeahh... Yeahh... Yeahh...~_

_~ohhh... ohhh Yeahh... Yeahh Yeahh... Yeahh... Yeahh...~_

The wind had dropped to a breeze which reminded everyone of what it was like... what they were leaving behind... what they had to leave behind...

_~ohhh... ohhh Yeahh... Yeahh Yeahh... Yeahh... Yeahh...~_

_~ohhh... ohhh Yeahh... Yeahh Yeahh... Yeahh... Yeahh...~_

_~You caused my heart to bleed and You still owe me a reason I can't figure out why...~_

_~You caused my heart to bleed and You still owe me a reason I can't figure out why...~_

_~Oh, you can't hear me cry See my dreams all die From where you standing On your own~_

_~It's so quiet here and I feel so cold This house no longer Feels like home.~..._

And just like that… they curved over a hill, taking one last look back at the memory which had started to form beyond the pines a mere mile behind them. Humphrey closed his eyes, looking back both in pain and despair for he knew they could never return as long as Garth stood tall in the pines which guarded the Western packs' sanctuary. He then turned and took the few steps down out of sight of the far pines.

As Kate had trotted onwards, she had begun to take Humphreys injuries into consideration. Although he was able to follow, she was unsure for how long. The cuts were deep and the blood still occasionally slid from the wounds.

"Humphrey, maybe we should take a look at your leg" she suggested, circling back on herself to walk alongside him, only to be greeted with his Right back leg which bore a gash that followed the curvature of his muscle.

Humphrey however, knew that they needed to continue and didn't want to have to stop for anything, at least not yet. "Kate, I know you care for my health but I care for your more than my own... We continue." he refused Kate's suggestion and continued on his trail, leaving Kate behind him who had stopped walking somewhat upset at her mates' decision...

The wind suddenly picked up as they passed a rocky cliff bottom that cast a low, grey shadow of mist over them.

Once their eyes adjusted to the sudden change in the wind they began their slow walk over the many pebbles which seemed to often resemble bones... Maybe it was the omen of the mountain which cast down on them playing tricks on their minds. Humphrey didn't really care for the dark. However, it began to force its ways into the corner of his eyes. He could sense the tiredness and pain creeping closer and had to blink repeatedly to regain full consciousness.

Kate had taken note of Humphreys obvious struggle and was keeping a close eye on him since they had started their journey around the mountainside. She had become so worried and focused on Humphreys current state that she had not even asked Lilly what had happened during her supposed "disappearance" into the Eastern packs' territory.

There was a strange whistling echo which seemed to radiate from the surrounding cliff walls which made them seem to funnel into a narrow passage and arch in at the walls as if wanting to form into something unknown. Perhaps it was all that had happened so recently that gave everything such a demonic and evil tone, or maybe it really was there. Either way, they knew they had to move onwards no matter what hid amongst the shadows out of sight...

Although Kate could sense the danger of a degree. With the ever closing walls and felt something down her spine at every movement. She feared not for herself for she knew that she could run and escape any possible danger, but she feared for Humphrey a mere few feet in front who had now begun to slow in pace with his tiredness catching up with him. He felt as if his legs would give in with any passing step over another log or rock and the enclosed space just made it worse. He was struggling to breathe properly with the darkness aside his eyes growing closer to his center vision, yet he kept on moving forward.

From above, some pebbles skidded down the rocky cliff, landing just in front of Humphrey who immediately looked up in search for the origin of movement, Nothing...

Its nothing he kept telling himself as he searched the ledge above the fallen pebbles where a solitary brown shrub grew bristling in the breeze

"Humphrey?" Kate came from behind, attempting to push past to Humphreys side "Are you ok?" Humphrey hadn't noticed that he had been standing there for a good minute completely frozen.

"Didn't you see that? The rocks falling?" Humphrey wearily asked, feeling his body weight want to sway to pull him against the cliff side.

Kate just began to shake her head gently from side to side worriedly before speaking "There was nothing... no rocks. Do you want me to go first?" Kate asked, looking him up and down from his side, checking him over for the hundredth time now only to be greeted for the hundredth time yet again with the same deep wounds which reminded her of the earlier events of that day. All she wanted to do was hold him and get him to stop moving but she knew that he would object to that idea and so she tried not to say anything, though she was unsure how long she could bare to see Humphrey in this state let alone watch his state worsen...

The narrow passage seemed to only go on and on never-ending yet it kept getting narrower and lower with each turn of the passage, they were all beginning to wonder if it would even lead out , the wind had intensified dramatically being funneled down the passage as if something wanted them to go back, as if it a warning or something...

And that was when the noise started. The scurrying sound from above. The undeniable sound that told them that they were not alone. And that was when the timing could not have been more worse.

"KATE!" Lilly called out past Humphrey with an obvious sense of panic residing in her voice.

Kate looked back to Lilly soon taking note that it was Humphrey, he had collapsed against the rocky face to his right. His legs had buckled. His eyes had fallen shut. And still, the scurrying continued from above... the running... the movement

"No, no no no no Humphrey not now come on!" Kate attempted to turn but the narrow passage made it difficult. She didn't know what her head wanted to think right about now. She had so many thoughts running through her head.

{GRRRRRRRrrrrr} A low growl sounded from behind Lilly. She looked behind her tail to see nothing but the winding passage that they had followed "Kate, Please… I don't like this..." Lilly said, almost to the point of a breakdown, her voice shaking as she spoke.

Kate just stood there so lost on what they could possibly do. Frozen. Only her head swiveled towards every new sound which seemed to curve down and around towards them.

"KATE! We need to go, Please!" Lilly continued pressing the ever closing outcome which was to, Run...

And then that was when it hit her. The moment caught up to her and what she had to do

"I'm so sorry Humphrey..." she apologized before slapping him and pushing him over to make him regain consciousness from the sudden movement and just before he fell back to the darkness he was running, sprinting perhaps? He didn't know... All that he knew was that he could barely see, but he could feel the rapid pushing and pulling from all directions as if something or someone was pushing him forward. All that kept him awake was the reciprocal movement of which kept the air in his lungs and the blood barely pumping enough to keep him on the sprint. How long could he do this for, he didn't really know but he just kept doing it with no feeling of tiredness? Perhaps he was so tired he felt nothing… And then the light followed shortly after by another return of darkness...

**::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::With Garth::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

He sat along the great Pines clearing, watching out to the far mountains which always seemed so small at distance yet so big at the same time. {Sigh}"Oh Humphrey, Kate..." he then looked to the ground in front him which bore the prints of the very wolves he spoke of

"...you never learn. As for you Lilly..." he looked to his side. "You're a good girl, showing me their path. He, it's okay. It's okay..." he affectionately spoke towards the wolf which sat beside him. "Guards" Garth's affectionate smile disappeared as he turned to the two wolves which hid in the shadows behind him. He watched the swirling clouds above the mountains in front of him before continuing... "Find them. And when you do..."

He paused for a moment as he watched the sun above the clouds. It was strangely entrancing, so peaceful so tranquil... (Hmmmmm) he thought to himself.

"Kill them." he solemnly said aloud

**::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::Back with Humphrey, Kate and Lilly:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

{cough, cough} kate and Lilly both emerged from a narrow slit from the passage they had once ventured down following shortly behind them, Kate finished her coughing fit turning to her collapsed mate who lay by the y entrance back into the rocky mountains chasm, he lay there writhing as he started to fall back into unconsciousness

Kate just closed her eyes sighing to herself as the dust continued to clear from around them, they didn`t know where the passage had led them and they didn`t know if they wanted to know.

upon opening her eyes the area around her seemed to build in front of her, a grounded trail flanked by small saplings of pines winding out, pushing the rocky sides further away the more she looked, the wind had subsided and compared with what she had expected it was rather... peaceful "Lilly?" she asked still watching the scene afront her.

{Cought} "Yeah?"

"Are you seeing this?" Kate further asked, a small moment of pause followed by Lilly reply of "Yeah"

it didn`t take long for the rest of their situation to press its way back into Kates mind as she turned back to Humphrey who now lay motionless aside from the low rise and fall of his chest.

"Oh, Humphrey..." she quietly pressed her head against his as he lay against the hard mud floor.

"What do we do now?" came Lilly low voice from behind Kate who looked back to her then back to her mate.

Kate knew what they needed to do, but she knew she couldn`t push Humphrey anymore, she just gently shook her head closing her eyes thinking about what to do next "We have to stay here for a while, at least until he`s able to walk, I, I don`t want to cause any more pain for him" she finished looking around to Lilly who stood understandingly a few meters behind her.

Three hours had passed all the time Kate had sat aside Humphrey, Lilly sat occasionally looking to her sides, so much had happened it must have put her quite on edge, Kate didn`t blame her, Kate had been recently balling over asking Lilly about what had happened that day she disappeared yet she could never bring herself to ask, it must have been a terrible ordeal.

"Kate?" she looked up to Lilly who was watching the ground soon bringing her head to look at Kate "do you think it was real, you know, Back in there?" Lilly turned to face the opening into the passage "the noises you know?"

Kate watched the opening for a minute soon replying "No, it think it was a mind game, the mountain played a trick on us" Kate remembered back to her childhood when she always heard of old wolf folk talking of the mountains which caused insanity and the whispers which would lead you to your demise, she had never believed the tales but she wasn`t too sure.

"Lilly what happened, when you were you know, taken and all?" she soon asked worried she may upset Lilly who sighed in remembrance while she drew circles in the dusty floor below where she sat.

"well, it was kinda my fault in the first place, you see it wasn`t the Eastern Pack who took me, at least not at first" she looked further to her paws as she continued.

"there were these Dark grey wolves, deep low voices which spoke of horrible things, I cannot remember everything they said but there was always one thing I remember, They spoke of taking me far away from where I was where they would use me, I was terrified as they dragged me through the bushes and in between the trees, I only managed to scream once maybe twice before It all went, Black.

She paused letting out a long breath...

"When I woke I didn`t know where I was, nor what had been done to me I just remember never seeing those wolves again nor anything that resembled home i was lost... scared wondering for hours maybe a day...

Lilly looked up to Kate who was somewhat regretting asking Lilly to re-live her ordeal again.

Then they found me, The eastern pack, or a wolf that knew them I didn`t know, but again I found myself being forced to follow after an Unkown wolf , he was trying to get friendly with me but that doesn't really work when your missing half your face you know" Lilly finished nervously laughing... he traded me to another wolf for something, I say another wolf I mean like a whole group of wolves , i never counted didn`t really have time I guess because all I remember after that was them all over me and..." Lilly bit her tongue looking to the sky and back to the ground on the verge of tears, she was shaking slightly at the remembrance.

kate didn`t really know how to reply and what would be the correct way to reply, she tried speaking words of comfort but nothing ever came out, perhaps a hiss of loss for words escaped her snout but that was about it.

"And I eventually found my way to the Eastern pack, I was Traded around many dens in the pack for lord know how long, an, and I dunno how I found you and when or..." Lilly stopped her story having forgotten many of the details from it, she whipped her paw across her eyes individually

Kate sat there aside Humphrey looking to her side unsure if she had done the correct thing asking her to re-live her story.

A few minutes had passed when {Cough, cough} came Humphrey as he vibrated next to Kate with each painful cough.

"uhhhh... Kate? wh," he looked around for a moment until he finished his sentence "where are we?"

"really that`s the first thing that comes to your mind, you almost died or at least we thought you had died for a while"

{Sigh}" it doesn't matter, either way, you`re awake and that is all that I care about Kate nuzzled her nose against his face as he lay there still somewhat struggling to keep his eyes from falling shut once again.

After a few seconds, Humphrey attempted to stand leaning on Kate as he lifted himself, Kate, watching his legs as he stood, his wounds had not yet re-opened and had seemed to seal for the time being.

Lilly too lifted herself from where she sat ready for the continuation of their journey to their unknown destination which they could only hope would leave behind all of this cruelty and pain.

"can you walk?" Kate asked while she assisted Humphrey as he stood still aside her.

Humphrey breathed heavily in and out a couple of times " yeah, yeah I should be fine " as he took a step forward from kate making his first step in the last three hours

Kate watched him for a second as he managed to put one paw in front of the other before moving to catch up to him in case of a collapse shortly followed by a lone Lilly who trotted behind Kate.

They followed the slow twisting path of guarding pines for a while, it was strange because it was the most peaceful place they had been since a good week ago back at their den yet, there was no sign of life, no humming of birds nor print in the mud or scratch on the bark.

perhaps no animal had made it this far into the mountain ranges before, either way, it didn`t seem right and all of them wanted out of this place for it stunk of uncertainty and ambush.

"Shouldn`t we try and find water" Humphrey soon broke the silence making both Lilly and Kate jump slightly from the break in the surrounding silence.

" well yeah, but where, we have nowhere to go but to follow the trail" Kate answered as if the question had been pointless, " oh, Yeah sorry I can`t think straight" Humphrey replied put down by Kates reaction who soon felt bad for her harsh reply.

they kept on moving down the path which never seemed to change gradient yet they knew it was leading downwards and where the pebbles rolled to was where the water flowed too...

It wasn`t much longer until they heard the distinct sound of running water, it was possibly the best thing they had all heard in some time, they were all so parched.

And as they turned the corner there it was, a river flowing through the low regions of the mountain, it looked so clear, fresh and the way it ran around all the shallow pebbles made their mouths crave it.

As each took their sip which soon turned into gulps it quenched their thirst , they drank and drank until they felt like they were going to explode and their mouths were sick of water.

"Ahhhh {cough} hmmm Humphrey lent back from the water slowly as a few droplets of water escaped his mouth.

"oh my god, I`m so tired" Humphrey managed to wezz out in-between breaths from his long drink, he watched up into the sky as Both Lilly and Kate finished their drink and too sat back from the edge of the water to hopefully discuss what was to come next.

Kate replied {Sigh}" well we aren`t too long away from the night," she said looking up at the clouds as they curved their ways around the horizons the sun visibly casting less and less of a glow over the mountainsides above.

"But we aren`t anywhere near far enough away from the eastern pack yet" Lilly spoke up from besides Kate worriedly.

Kate looked from Lilly to Humphrey as he took deep breaths as he sat his posture a low pain ridden one then back to Lilly who stood on all fours worried of what the night may bring if they did not continue before nightfall.

"Lilly, we can`t continue" Kate made a decision on behalf of her mate and the recent ordeals he had been through, it pained her to see Lilly the way she was but everything that had happened to her was in the past, it was time to act in the present, and what the present called for right now was for her mate to rest for the night, at least until sunrise.

Humphrey smiled to Kate who out of the corner of her eye could see Lilly's bewildered and pain-stricken face which hindered Kates ability to feel as if she had made the correct decision.

They continued a few minutes down the streams current until they found an overhang, a ledge of sorts made from the cliff face itself which hung over a small section of dead grass, Kate looked to Humphrey who decided that it was more than good enough given the circumstances and had already made his slow walk towards the shaded overhang.

Kate watched her mate as he almost flopped down into a coil under the shade, he must be so worn out she thought to herself as she looked over his form which was laced with small and large cuts trailing down from his upper body.

Humphrey fell to sleep in no time, the moment he coiled up felt like the moment he dropped off.

Kate and Lilly didn`t share much of a word to one and other, Kate felt it something to do with her decision from earlier, Kate didn`t really blame her though, just thinking about what she must have gone through and that she had been gone for so long that it had almost gotten to the point of her almost being a complete stranger to one and other.

Kate just lay next to Humphrey watching Lilly sit a few meters away twitching at the slightest sound, she pitied her, soon enough kate turned her attention to the rolling stars above mixed with the distant sound of flowing water.

Maybe one day the stars would re-align for them, and maybe one day they could get away from this, All of this...

Kate soon rolled to here side against Humphrey as he lay, she felt the immediate warmth contact her back, and as she waited for the night to take her she watched the grass sway in the wind as it drifted over as if an ocean moving debris from one island to the next...

And soon enough the grass became a blur and the sky became a blur until all went to a still and silent dark...

**And there we go, chapter 7 finished and released to you all, took some time and I know some of you may be a bit bothered by the wait but wasn`t it worth it, I sure hope so, anyways I haven`t got much more to say other then the usual, Follow leave a comment or both, leave your view on the chapter and or what you would have done if you were kate, would you of kept on moving and risked Humphreys health and or life, or would you have done what she did and risked the night and the ones who followed...**

**A massive thanks to **OmegaAlpha2 **for beta reading and giving great feedback along with him editing some of my stories to try and help me get it to be the best that it can make sure to go and check out his stories on his profile and support him, pssst... I`m trying to get him back into writing A&O stories so if u want more A&O content definitely go and follow him and favorite.**

**Cya in chapter 8, whenever that is...**


	8. Chapter 8 confrontation between paths

**I`m back guys this time with chapter 8 which I am going to try and structure a bit differently, or at least I am hoping to try something new**

**Again I apologize for such gaps between posts of new chapters I am going to be increasing how often I post so look forward to it anyways I`ll get straight to it for you all...**

The next day seemed to come swiftly, probably because of Lilly harshly waking both of them because she couldn`t bare waiting anymore too as she put it be jumped in their sleep

Humphrey had gotten a great night sleep although his bones still ached and he struggled to walk it was nothing compared to the day before and how he felt then and for many reasons Kate felt a lot better about the day which was soon approaching over the mountains behind them.

The sun rose quickly above the peaks illuminating the lands before them, They were still following the stream as it winded down the landscape birds chirping in the distance, the further they walked them ore alive everything became.

The day was looking to be a good one by everyone's standards, little did they know who of the two which trailed close behind and what the day would soon turn into.

"so what are we even looking for then, I mean i kinda just joined in walking with you lot and didn`t really ask what we were doing, I mean i know your running but, where?" Lilly asked after Kate and Humphrey finished their conversation prior.

"I don`t really know to be honest" Humphrey answered still uncertain on if they even had anything they were aiming to reach, anywhere apart from here he guessed as he and Kate both took a step up and over a fallen tree aside the stream.

"I mean i think all we really have planned on doing is, getting out of there" He looked behind himself to point his head in the direction of where they previously fled, Humphrey paused for a moment Kate and Lilly walking a few feet front to turn and ask if he was Ok almost in unison, He pricked his eyes up upon which both Kate and Lilly exchanged looks of caution " What is it, Humphrey?" Kate asked worriedly looking back at him.

Humphrey kept watching the skyline over the small mound they had passed " Yeah, nothing" he soon replied turning back to kate and Lilly to continue on their journey taking one last quick glance back at the mound before they turned the corner.

they continued their trail for a fair hour Humphrey had now calmed his anxious nerves was now continuing his chats between both Kate and Lilly enjoying the sun as it lay down its streams of light on their backs, the wind had picked up ever so slightly to a washing breeze across their fur brushing it back across their muzzles.

"Kate, did you see, you know see anyone back at the forest, like anyone at all asides me and Lilly?" Humphrey asked hoping to hear that she saw a couple of wolves perhaps possibly make it out.

"Kates vision dropped to the moving grass "no, no one just." " ouch, ahh" Humphrey accidentally had misplaced his paw down a large dip in the ground as he was watching Kate.

quickly limping his paw out of the hole he sat down examining His paw which looked to be fine soon joined in examination by kate who merely sniggered slightly "awwww did Humphrey have a trip?" she sarcastically mocked as Humphrey rolled his eyes placing his paw back down aside the hole and continuing on their path downstream.

Humphrey had thought it best to not continue his interrupted question especially since Kate hadn`t seemed to bring it back up since he had his trip.

All of them had been growing steadily more hungry with each passing minute, they all knew that there was little to nothing they could do since there was no hunt to be found merely the birds were the only source of life around and they were not exactly an easy catch nor a worth it one...

"...I spy, with my little eye... something beginning with the letter... R" Kate began abruptly stated as they walked through a couple of bushes.

"Reeeee..." Humphrey attempted an answer.

"Rock" Lilly answered quickly with little emotion bord already.

"yes, ok ummmm" Kate continued now looking around for something new "ok ok I got it, I spy with my little eye something beginning with the letter M, guess that one" she smugly finished looking to both Humphrey and Lilly.

"Mmmmushy, grass" Humphrey stupidly replied looking to the grass brushing his paws as he walked then up to kate knocking full well he was wrong  
"Mushrooms" Lilly again said as her paws passed some purple dotted shrums aside the stream.

"whaaa hooowww?.." Humphreys' voice trailed off as he looked to Lilly, There it was again the flash of Grey whipping out of sight as he looked to the cliff top aside then watching a small gathering of dust fall.

his ears twitched, Kate and Lilly had not yet noticed continuing their game in the background, he looked to his other side slowly and out of the corner of his eye again he noticed a disappearance of grey "Humphrey, so what do you think it is, Lilly can`t guess it" Kate interrupted, Humphrey looking down to focus on Kates face watching him in anticipation.

"We`re being followed" Kates Face dropped as she looked forward watching out of the corner of her eyes the cliff sides Lilly overhearing aswell and too watching her flanks anxiously.

"what do we do?" Kate asked hushly as she stepped forward closer into Humphrey "Lilly stop acting like you know something is up" Humphrey aggressively told her before answering Kate and continuing their trot down the stream "i can`t fight, I don`t know" he addmitted to her.

"we can" Kate stated before looking over to the whimmpering Lilly reverting back to her statement to fix it "i can"

"no, no you can`t you go if you have to, i don`t want to risk your life" Humphrey affectionetly told Kate, they abruptly stopped afront a large dark shadowy Bush which blocked their path

"no, no, we have to go back follow" Humphrey beckoned them turning to a slowely advancing Grey patternd wolf, Teeth beared a growl growing more pronounced with each second.

"He looked back to the bush only to be flanked by another patternd Wolf, drool patting beneath its paws {GGGGGrrrrrrrrrr SNARL} he looked between the two wolves announcing to himself that "That was fast" before doing the only thing he could possibly think off, He gritted his teeth as menicingly as he could, his furr spiking a growl emminating from within.

"oh come on, you really think that`ll work mutt," One of the wolves said inbetween snarlspushing his advance around Humphrey, He was getting anxious trying to keep tags on both Wolves constantly changing direction between them.

another growl sounded aside him looking to see Kate now bearing her kanines and growling viciously at the Wolf nearest the bush.

"owww lookie here we have our selves a fighting girl" The wolf spat at kate reverting back to Growling after.

"We don`t want this, just leave," Humphrey said between gritted teeth trying to defuse the situation.

"That ain`t gonna work here fella, Garth wouldn`t be too happy with us turned up empty pawed, ain`t that right Ahriman?"

"hahaaah, yeah dame right " Ahriman replied pushing himself closer to Kate who backed off a bit.

"hhahahaa" the wolf afront Humphrey laughted lowely before it turned into a sickening growl him too pressing his advance further.

Suddenly the wolf infront of Humphrey lunged forward towards Humphrey, They clshed, A large and sharp object tore through Humphreys Side, he grabbed at the Wolfs Throat, they tumbled to kates side , The Wolf on Kates side had now advanced grinning to himself bearing his teethin a grimmice jumping at her, Humphrey tore as much and slashed as much as he could.

Humphrey felt the Wolf gain the advantage grabbing his scruff in his neck crushing down as hard as he could and ripping his teeth upwards, Humphrey felt the teeth slice upwards down his scruff as he howelled in pain coiling over into the wolf trying desperatelly to struggle out of the wolfs powerful bite.

managing to struggle free he fell forward turning back to the wolf, he felt the blood pulsing down the back of his scruff.

The wolf afront Humphrey seemed up scarved, blood clearly shimmering in the suns reflection.

Humphrey found it difficult to turn his head without feeling stiff, he growled again ready for another attack.

The next thing he knew was seeing a flash of Kate throwing the opposite wolf to the floor as they tussled to rip at each others flesh, he felt a quick slash to hit lower jaw before the Wolf was thrown to the ground and beaten by Kate and, Lilly? Lilly had wrapped her Teeth around the wolfs Neck squeezing visabily as hard as she could, he watched her teeth puncture the wolfs neck to which the wolf shock aggressively soon throwing Lilly from him turning to Humphrey.

The wolf yet again still uncaring of the world around him leaped for Humphrey throwing his claws at Humphreys side and slashing with his teeth just catching Humphreys check as he withdrew quickly from the pressing wolf.

the Wolf stopped for a second looking around him prehapse in the realisation of his injury or his twitching comrade who lay on the floor eyes closed blood visible from the sockets of the wolfs right eye as he lay.

{heavy exhale} "This isn`t , no" the wolf raised a paw to his blood soacked neck before turning and fleeing off back up the trail.

Humphreys tone changed and he exhaled taking the realisation of his scruff which hurt the most, the blood now a slow pulse down his leg from his sruff.

{painful Inhale} he looked around to kate turning his body as he did so, Luckily Kate didn`t seem to have any immediate injurys aside from a large gash along her upper chest.

kate rushed to Humphrey looking to his scruff which was clearly the causing of Humphreys discomfort.

"oh shit, Humphrey" She began pulling his face closer to her while craining over to the large rips along his scruff.

"lay, lay" Humphrey left kates paws atop him gently and persuasively pushing him to lay on the ground.

"na, what about you?" Humphrey tried to change subject to her gash not yet feeling the full extent of the pain he would surely have to endure.

No, Humphrey, this is serious " She announced in a half irritated tone gringing as she gently stroked Humphreys scruff one of the slices peeling open slightly, Humphrey let out a light yelp of pain his breathing becoming slightly irratic but quickly bringing it back to normal.

"Humphrey this really isn`t good" kate continued clearly disturbed by her mates current state Humphrey tried to stand again but was stopped by kates firm paw, " no , you stay" she orderd him as she lowerd her head to his scruff and began licking at the cuts attempting to clean any dirt and possibility of infection with it.

Humphrey began to close his eyes as he lay there, the stinging had began to make its way to his brain, he felt somewhat sick as he felt his flesh rub against itself as Kate attempted to clean his cuts.

"ah shit" Humphrey cursed to himself quietly as a jolting sting shot through his nerves to his head, he couldn`t turn his head side to side due to the cuts opening wider if he did, it just hurt so dame much.

"ah, I thought i`d had the worst of it {painful chuckle}" Kate lent back from Humphreys scruff looking to the side of his face "well lets hope this is, i can`t stand seeing you constantly like this"

"What do we do now, i mean" Lilly started looking down to Kate who lent over Humphrey his ears flat to his head

" we wait a bit, we can`t just go now look at him, no offence Humphrey" kate complained to Lillys unthoughtful comment "he`s in no condition to move" she placed one of her paws along Humphreys side in affection .

"Well i`m not going back, i can`t, i won`t" Lilly continued on her voice beginning to judder in fear the more she spoke.

"you`re not going back" Humphrey butted in turning his head as much as he dar to which Kate whinced at.

"oh who am i kidding, there are probabily already more on the way" Lilly spoke defeatedly to herself as she placed herself solidly on the ground.

"no Humphrey wh..." Kate was taken aback Humphrey had pushed himself up on all fours feeling a trickle of liquid swiftly run down his leg.

Humphrey closed his eyes as he attempted to block everything out as he thought to himself, the only sound making it through was that of the gushing water mer metres away from him.

**:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: three hours later:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

"I think we should get out, it`s gettng too deep now" Kate called to Humphrey as he felt the water sting the cut apon his chin "yeah" he called back.

They wadded to the shore, the water had gotten extremly deep to what it was a mer hour ago, they must of travelled a few miles down stream the rockly cliffs had been long left behind and instead they were greeted by a large streech of thin forstry which lightly laced their sides accompanied by the odd boulder here and there.

Humphrey had to sit for a second the cold water dripping from his clumped furr drenching the grass below him, his furr had been since cleaned of his blood though his head still felt stiff and locked to position, although his scruff looked better it was clearly still sore and attempting to form dark wine red scabs already between the gashes which only seemed to open again with every slight movement of his neck.

{pant} "I don`t think..." {pant} " They are going to catch up to us now" Humphrey hopefully stated forgetting for a breif moment that he couldn`t turn his head swinging his head sharply around to attempt to make eye contact with Kate only to be greeted with a almost black out, He grimeced to himself as he slowely brang his head back around. "mmmhmm" he whined to himself quietly now again beginning to be able to destinguish the trickles of blood from the trickles of water.

he had hoped that the blood by now would have stopped dripping with every movement but he had long ago guessed and felt that they were not shallow cuts and was not completely suprised that they still bleed.

"Humphrey, maybe we should stop and sit soon" Kates caring voice sounded from behind him" she walked up to him pretending not to have seen him accidently twist his head around to her, She took a quick affectionate flick at Humphreys muzzle before rubbing her head along his side {sigh} "But really we need to stop soon if not for your sake let it be mine" kate persuaded Humphrey

"yeah, maybe that best" he replied as he felt another jolt of pain fly from his scruff, why did it hurt so god dame much he kept questioningh imself as he walked, i mean he couldn`t see it, was it really that bad, it felt that bad, it must be that bad he kept thinking to himself as they traversed this unknown land of tall streching trees and boulders which streched as tall as ten of them casting there shadows upon the path they followed.

The sun was tipping it`s back over the sky heading for the Herizon quicker then normal rehapse due to their tiredness or lack of time keeping for Kates lets stop soon had easily ecceded two hours and everyone of them felt as if they were to fall and not get back up at any given moment.

"you know, maybe we should stop now" Kate finally gave in with no complaints from any of the others, they had been moving so quickly and climbing so many hills in the past two days with such little food aside the odd squirrel that they happened to catch that all three of them felt like it would just be a easier option to just coil up and die.

Humphrey insted of flooping to the floor cautiously lowerd himself to the ground careful to avoid any unneccasary movement before gently contacting his head with the ground.

Kate watched the scene, she should of called break earlier, she watched the breeze lift the furr around his head revealing each cut with every gust of wind that crawled along their path.

Kate thought that maybe a break wouldn`t cut it and that maybe a touch of sleep may help each of them, she started walking her eyes as she lay across the ground scanning for any sign of a possible sleeping area soon realising that they`d have to sleep beneth a tree.

once Kate belived everyone had a adaquet rest she ushured them to move to a tree for shelter, not even Lilly complained about sleeping so early, prehapse it was the dark clouds looming over head that fooled her into thinking it was later then it was or maybe she actually belived they were safe, either way, kate was glad she wasn`t immediately pawing at her idea.

They all snuggled to the trees roots feeling the searching cool wind spread through the trees as the shadows darkened around.

{flash} 1..2..3..4.. {Crash} Kate snuggled closer up to Humphrey who lay between a uprooted tree member visibily shivering in the flashes of lighting, she cocooned Humphrey with her paws embracing him while they lay.

soon enough came the rain... shimmering in the light which ocasionally errupted from a far away land pitter pattering aggresively against the unshelterd grass around them...

She soon drifted to the lands far beyond where anyone could ever go, a place no one could evre catch her but her fears and dreams... for this was one of the quickly disappering safe places she knew...

Listen to **Onerepublic-If I lose myself**

~I'm standing up at the sun~  
~Thought of all the people, places and things I've loved~  
~I stand up just to see~  
~Of all the faces,~  
~You are the one next to me~  
~You can feel the light start to tremble~  
~Watching what you know out to see~  
~You can see your life out of the window, tonight~  
~If I lose myself tonight~  
~It'll be by your side~  
~If I lose myself tonight~  
~Whoo, whoo, whoo~  
~If I lose myself tonight~  
~It'll be you and I~  
~Lose myself tonight~  
~Whoo~  
~I'm standing up at the sun~  
~Thought of all the people, places and things I've loved~  
~I woke up just to see~  
~Of all the faces~  
~You are the one next to me~  
~You can feel the light start to tremble~  
~Watching what you know out to see~  
~You can see your life out of the window, tonight~  
~If I lose myself tonight~  
~It'll be by your side~  
~If I lose myself tonight~  
~Whoo, whoo, whoo!~  
~If I lose myself tonight~  
~It'll be you and I~  
~Lose myself tonight~  
~Whooooooo~  
~Take us down, and we keep trying~  
~Forty-thousand feet, keep flying~  
~Take us down, and we keep trying~  
~Forty-thousand feet, keep flying~  
~Take us down, and we keep trying~  
~Forty-thousand feet, keep flying~  
~Take us down, and we keep trying~  
~Forty-thousand feet, keep flying~  
~Take us down, and we keep trying~  
~Forty-thousand feet, keep flying~  
~Lose myself~  
~If I lose myself tonight~  
~Whoo~  
~Whoo, whoo~  
~Whoo~

**Had hoped for a 5k chapter however, i think this is better, Tell me what you think in a comment as i always alawys enjoy reading them and make sure to favorite and follow as i`ll be updating with chapter 9 soon!**

**until then...**

**Cya...**


	9. Chapter 9 stay by my side please

**Aaaaaaand I`m back with another chapter hoping that this one will not take as long to publish and get out since often it has taken me multiple days to complete them, I would also like to thank everyone who so far has supported me through this story and is definitely seeing myself getting this story to 100k, And I recently just hit 300+ views on this story which is massive for me thank you, everyone,,.**

**Anyways I`m going to get writing and let you get reading so here we go...**

The next day came without hesitation quickly and swiftly rising above the surrounding peaks illuminating everything around with its bright yellow glow.

Kate yawned in bliss as the sun struck her body warming her further as she woke to her mate laying in a peaceful slumber in her embrace, Kate just smiled to herself as she looked blinking repeatedly up at the sun which shone down "How late did we sleep in?" she asked herself hushley as she watched a group of dark birds glide between the tree canopy and out of sight.

She felt Humphrey slip slightly from her grasp she pulled him slowly back up sighing to herself as she noticed his scabbed scruff which still had some residue of dried blood surrounding his fur atop his head.

She looked over her shoulder to where she last remembered Lilly sitting but she wasn`t there, scanning the area Kate still couldn`t find any trace of h, r not even a paw print as she surveyed the ground "huh" She sighed to herself wanting to call out to her but remembering who lay in her legs.

deciding to just wait she lay her chin down on Humphrey and let him rest for as long as he could, after all, Lilly was probably just out looking for food or something, As she thought this her belly rumbled and again she sighed, it was one thing after the next when she woke she just wished she could go back to the dreamscape and forget all of it but unfortunately.

"KATE!" her eyes shot open at the calling voice of Lilly which seemed to originate from what sounded like a hundred meters away, she looked down to Humphrey afraid to move him soon shifting him gently to one side getting up and looking around until she heard again.

"KATE!" it didn`t sound like she was in trouble more like she wanted her to see something, taking one last look back at Humphrey smiling to herself quickly before trotting off in the direction of the calling.

she soon stumbled out onto a clearing of grass where unexpectedly was Lilly aside a Caribou? "Lilly?" Kate questioned astounded that she may have done this on her own "did you?" Kate continued "Yup" was Lilly reply with a cheerful grin forming across her muzzle.

Kate looked back over her shoulder thinking of Humphrey before turning back to Lilly to attempt to help her drag the caribou to where they lay the night before, Kate would of questioned how but was too amazed by the sudden appearance of food and did not want to hesitate about it with such a opportunity just presenting itself.

Soon they managed to drag the carcass through the clearing and to where Humphrey lay, Kate ran up to Humphrey who still lay fast asleep, "Hun, Humphrey?" Kate whispered in his ear slowly turning up the volume of her voice "Humphrey?" he starting shifting in his sleep soon twitching his eyes open "huh?" he woke confused on the current situation "Kate what is it?" he questioned wondering what had her so riled up.

"Look" Kate stood aside revealing Lilly who stood behind a downed caribou, He let out a{sigh} of relief for he had started wondering if they would ever find suitable food, He pushed himself to his paws tiredly soon gaining equal balance and walked slowly to the Caribou looking it over closing his eyes happily sighing as he did so.

Humphrey lent down slowly due to the stress of his scruff limiting his maneuverability which made Kates face drop slightly watching him attempt to rip away at the skin but merely only being able to nore at risk of his wounds opening with any such movement, Humphrey continued noring away ever so often attempting with a small tug whilst Lilly dug herself in bliss upon her face as her eyes locked themselves shut whilst she chewed soon opening them to be greeted by Kates disapproving face , Lilly changed her attention to the struggling Humphrey {swallow} "um sorry" she mouthed to kate slowing her eating pace significantly.

Kate sighed looking back to Humphrey out of the corner of her eye before too leaning down to finally eat.

Kate attempted her best to finish when Humphrey did to avoid making him feel he was the one holding everyone up.

Humphrey had taken notice of them both attempting to eat slower than normal probably down to his current ability so he decided to stop eating early feeling slightly down about himself, it seemed to ashamed to leave such remains but there were only three of them and he didn`t feel much like eating anymore...

"Are you sure Humphrey? you haven`t eaten that much" Kate asked worriedly

"Yes Kate, I am full" Humphrey replied averting his eyes to the ground as they all walked off to continue on their way, Kate took a quick glance back around at the Caribou sighing at the waste then turned and followed.

The weather so far was shaping out to be a nice clear sunny days walk, no sign of the dark clouds which once pondered the skies perhaps a few hours before and the sun beamed down its warmth upon the grasslands and treetops, They left the river as soon as the mountains became one of the many forming memories and soon enough the sound of running water disappeared and was replaced with the chirping of birds and the sound of swaying branches They didn`t know how far they had to go nor how far they had come, they just kept walking and walking, for hours they trotted over hills and grasslands around trees and forest lines and through small meandering rivers...

It was really starting to hit everyone's mind by now "where were they going, what would they do when they find whatever it is they are looking for?" no-one really knew, however what they did know was that is was most definitely a place a location of sorts where they could leave behind the horrors which now lay well over twenty miles behind, they could only hope it would not spread.

Kate was just padding along behind Humphrey watching his tail swish side to side for entertainment... "ugh, this is so boring, we`ve been walking for like, three hours!" Kate exclaimed having to take a minute to estimate how long they had been out so far, There had been nothing for the past hour and a half, the birds had all died down the wind had also followed in suit , not a sound, just the trotting of each others paws pressing themselves into the soft dirt.

"do you want a break?" Humphrey asked suggestively.

"no, it`s not that it`s just there is nothing to do" she spoke back.

"I dunno, just look at the clouds I guess" he retorted looking quickly to the sky above and back to the trail ahead, Kate was rather taken-aback by Humphreys answer hoping he would perhaps of came out with something a bit more...fun really.

"Maybe we could play I spy again?" Lilly spoke up overhearing the conversation the back of the line, "yeah why not?" Kate replied joyful that at least someone had an idea looking to Lilly and back to Humphrey and making a smug face only she could see.

Humphrey sighed in his mind at the idea of playing that rotten game again "ugh for god sake" he whispered to himself in his mind.

"I spy with my..."

They continued on there way around tree, rock and over hill, and still nothing happened, that was until they heard afar conversation, a mere whisper to the ear from the distance it must of been, their ears twitched looking around to source the direction out "That way" Kate soon spoke walking afront their line to lead them towards the sound.

"wait but what if" Humphrey was cut off by Kate "if they are, Garths" was the only way she could describe it "I`ll just turn and walk away, besides by the sounds of it we`ll probably be able to get a vantage point from a distance hmmm?" She finished Humphrey off with a shake of the head.

They all followed Kate making sure to keep to a whisper, they moved through at least one hundred metres of forest before opening out into a field of tall grass which swayed a dark dead yellow in the breeze, curving a hill they managed to look over through some slits in the grass to the field which stretched as far as the eye could see, scanning for a while until their eyes fell upon a lone wolf lying in a patch of flattened grass, they watched the wolf from two hundred metres away none of they able to tell if the wolf was breathing nor what exact color it was.

"surely if we heard chat there would be more then one?" Humphrey asked suspiciously to himself for the others to hear. there was definitely something wrong with the situation each of them feeling their hair stick up on end at the idea "what if they are hurt?" Kate soon asked looking astray slightly to Humphrey for advice then to Lilly.

Kate took a step forward but before her paw touched the floor ahead Humphrey had tackled her paw back to her side looking her in the eye, "no, we wait, I am not risking you just because you have a gut feeling or something" Kate looked forward to the wolf then planted herself back down firmly to watch.

they sat for twenty minutes until Lilly spoke quietly "I am pretty sure they`re breathing" she had been trying to figure this out the entire time until now when she finally had decided on it "I see like occasional movement" she turned to Humphrey who had now grown unsettled by their surroundings worried that someone may be watching them or searching for them, he turned to face Lilly, and without replying looked from her to the wolf who still lay amidst the field.

"I`ll go" he spoke decisively.

Kate whiped her head around to retort instantaniously which Humphrey had only expected "No you`re not, do you not remember what you`ve been through already so far, you won`t risk me going on gut instinct I won`t risk you going on your ego, i dunno bravery maybe it`s a male thing but no, what would i do if you got hurt, again, have you ever thought about what I may feel when or if I watched you get hurt or killed, I am the Alpha here Humphrey always have been so why you seem to think that you can always make the deciding decision I don`t know, but i don`t want you to always been that one who puts themselves first, you do know how it makes me feel watching you go head first into every fight your head high but your claws retracted, huh?" she finished a stirn expression upon her face as she watched Humphrey deeply, Lilly sat aside bitting her tongue watching them out of the corner of her eye, none of them had expected such an outburst especially at this exact moment with such curcumstances.

Humphrey submitted himself pinning his ears back in defeat not bothering to exchange any word of counter-argument, Kate calmed herself realizing her harsh and racial comments that she now hated herself for using on her mate who now sat lowered afront her in shame and submission.

Lilly cheekily thought to herself "well it`s clear who is the dominant one in bed" laughing to herself at her own inappropriate joke making sure not to show any signs of it upon her muzzle.

Humphrey was deeply hurt by his mates' words extremely put out by her outburst he backed away and scampering into the words almost in tears, it had seemed that by this point everyone had forgotten the possibility of them being watched and or followed.

"no no Humphrey wait please" Kate pleaded as she watched him turn and run closing her eyes soon after in hatred for her self and how she had literally just acted with her word choice being close to horrendous.

"who`s going?" Lilly timidly spoke up not wanting to further anger, Kate .

Kate blinked in thought soon coming to the answer that she had hoped would not become reality "no one is going" shaking her head slightly side to side before taking off after Humphrey back down the hillside following is rushed paw prints. Lilly looking quickly back and forth from Kate rushing off to the laying wolf in disbelief at the idea of leaving a possibly injured and dying wolf over the sake of some domestic abuse if that soon following after Kate in a scurry.

"Humphrey!" Kate called as she weaved in and out of trunks following the kicked up dirt

"Kate shhh" we may be being followed, we are still too close to the field she almost called in-between pants almost falling behind kate barely managing to keep up.

She ran and ran as fast as she could wondering how far he would run too and how she must have really messed with his feelings towards their current relationship, she stopped for a moment amongst a thick gathering of pine trees the sun barely creeping through the leaves above.

"where are you..." she didn`t manage to finish her sentence as she found his trail again bolting off down it without hesitation she had easily now fan seven hundred meters before soon opening out into a small lighted clearing sat Humphrey his ears still pinned to the top of his now weeping scruff.

She closed her eyes trying to muster up her choice of words to make him feel better and assure him that she didn`t mean a word she meant even if some of it were true she cared more for him then her feelings right now.

"Humphrey? you ok hun? she asked a quiver in her voice as she approached her head low to the ground and tilted slightly to get a focus of his face a bit faster.

Humphrey turned slightly no visible tears upon his cheeks but an obvious sign of sadness upon his figure as he sat planted solomley to the ground Kate slowly shuffling her paws towards him.

"you know, I didn`t really mean all of that it was just, them moment you know, I was scared you may get hurt."

She eventually managed to work her way to his side stretching her paw around is side pulling him gently towards her which he struggled against soon losing his battle at being a statue he lent in to her side with her help, he still looked away upset still but his ears now lent off the back of his head twitching slightly up as he felt slowly better at her touch.

" I was just upset, that`s all, tell you what may be when we find somewhere cozy you can show me what a real alpha is?" she cheekily grinned to herself at the comment she had to make to get him to change mood his ears perking up as he grew visibly embarrassed at her comment slowly managing to gain the courage to lean around to her a grin still residing upon half his face as he attempted not to think about what she just said.

"na, I shouldn`t have just run off like that I mean it`s kinda stupid of me I mean I ran off just because of a small quarrel we had, isn`t really mate worthy material you know," he replied his smirk falling to an upset look of dismay as he finished his sentence shaming himself.

"no, Humphrey honestly you really are mate worthy trust me, ever met any of the other wolves from our pack?" she asked attempting to get him chuckling. "ha, yeah I guess" Humphrey again replied looking to the ground in front of him as a brown leaf fluttered across it.

They sat there chatting small talk for a minute Kate reassuring her hurt hate that she was the one at fault not him.

And that was when Humphreys mind jumped mid-conversation to a threat he hoped wasn`t currently hiding out of view of their current mindset.

He looked to Kate his eyes wide with worry

"Where is Lilly?"

Kates muzzle slowly dropping she turned her head slowly to the trees around where no Lilly stood but the gloomy shadows rustling between the trunks.

"LILLY?!..."

(instant blackout)

**Listen to- ****Leave a Light On**** By Tom Walker**

~The second someone mentioned you were all alone~

~I could feel the trouble coursin' through your veins~

~Now I know, it's got ahold~

~Just a phone call left unanswered, had me sparkin' up~

~These cigarettes won't stop me wonderin' where you are~

~Don't let go, keep ahold~

~If you look into the distance, there's a house up on the hill~

~Guidin' like a lighthouse~

~It's a place where you'll be safe to feel our grace~

~'Cause we've all made mistakes~

~If you've lost your way~

~I will leave the light on~

~I will leave the light on~

~I will leave the light on~

~I will leave the light on~

~I will leave the light on~

~Tell me what's been happenin', what's been on your mind~

~Lately you've been searchin' for a darker place~

~To hide, that's alright~

~But if you carry on abusing, you'll be robbed from us~

~I refuse to lose another friend to drugs~

~Just come home, don't let go~

~If you look into the distance, there's a house up on the hill~

~Guidin' like a lighthouse~

~It's a place where you'll be safe to feel our grace~

~'Cause we've all made mistakes~

~If you've lost your way~

~And I will leave the light on~

~And I will leave the light on~

~I will leave the light on~

~I will leave the light on~

~I will leave the light on~

~And I know you're down and out now~

~But I need you to be brave~

~Hidin' from the truth ain't gonna make this all okay~

~I see your pain; if you don't feel our grace~

~And you've lost your way~

~Well, I will leave the light on...~

**Annnnd finished wooooah, for some reason only 3k words yet took some time to do, hope all of you really enjoyed this and as normal if you did please leave a comment as it means more to me than anything including a follow and or a favorite, I truly enjoy it above everything and this also marks the 1/4 point to my current goal for this story of 100k words, we`ll be there soon...**

**Anyways cya all soon you great people...**


	10. Chapter 10 A ditance only two can travel

**This is it guys, I`m back this time with a massive milestone for me which is chapter 10 the big 10 the next being chapter 20 this is massive to me and thank you to everyone who has shown your support if it through comments and or follows your all amazing and I love all of it as it`s truly an amazing thing getting such great and positive feedback from you all and again thank you so much, Anyways without carrying this off into the distance lets continue shall we...**

**Enjoy...**

They both sat there swerving their view around the surrounding trees scanning between them into the dark for Lilly hoping that they had somehow missed her standing in plain sight, The wind ran towards them their fur strafing back behind their heads for a moment the wind passing as fast as it had come, Kate looked side to side quickly looking to Humphrey after "she was right behind me, I swear" as she again looked to where she had entered the clearing from now becoming desperate.

Humphrey had managed to recover quickly from his experience a mere few minutes ago and had now focused in on the possibly horrific one at paw "..." he mouthed words of an unknown language unable to get his words out as he too scanned around taking a step towards the woods which loomed ahead, The forest now seemed darker and dingier then when he remembered running through it earlier.

Kate watched him as he walked slowly over to the side of a towering pine tree him looking past it sniffing the air, there was nothing but shimmering rays of sunlight breaking the leaves atop the darkness.

"Humphrey I`m getting a feeling we shouldn`t be here she spoke loudly from behind him.

He stared into the blur of dark misty shadows, and for a second he swore he watched a glint of fur in the distance dart across from a tree.

Not risking it being a mind game he turned quickly looking to Kate taking a quick jogging run to her side ready to move in the opposite direction "We need to go" Kate looked to the tree line Humphrey had just been her mouth attempting to make a noise "now" Humphrey said calmly.

They turned and fleed the opening into the forest " what was it, why are we leaving Lilly? She could be out there" Kate attempted to sway Humphreys decision to leave.

"When I smelt the air do you know What I sensed? We cannot go back, we never should have gone to that place, we never should have taken this path, She`ll find us if she made it out" he started quickening his pace as he turned tree after tree Kate darting between them to keep up as he spoke.

"Humphrey, what was it?" she asked in between pants as she ran behind him leaves circling in the wind as they kicked their legs.

"A Wolf" He called to behind him Kate slowing her pace soon coming to a Stop, Humphrey noticed turning to her from a few meters away "It could have been Lilly" she looked somewhat disappointed in Humphreys decision to run tilting her head slightly while craning her neck towards him in question.

Humphrey looked around anxiously eager to keep moving "we really shouldn't be here Kate" Kate looked behind her still somewhat aware that he could be telling the truth gritting her teeth as she looked then back to Humphrey who looked rather panicked while they stood there in the shadow.

" I smelt more then one" Humphrey said quickly to try and move her along to which Kates ears pricked up and she looked behind her as she took a step towards Humphrey now not so sure it may have been Lilly if he was telling the truth.

She could still see the lighted area to which they once sat from where they stood looking between hundreds of trees to the far location.

Her heart dropping to the floor and fur spiking to the tree canopy above when she watched a dark shiny black wolf sweep along the lighted area and back into the shadows.

"Run, run run run" Kate looked back to Humphrey passing him before turning to a sprint off followed by a taken aback Humphrey who didn`t expect her to move so quickly.

Kates heart was jumping out of her body as she ran almost losing feeling in her legs as they swept the ground as a blur Humphrey flying close behind her trail leaning side to side as they both bulleted their selves through the forest faster they ever knew they could run, no sound but the loud echoing thuds of their paws and the rustling of disturbed leaves sounded in their surroundings only making them want to escape even more.

They ran and ran until... They hit light speeding out into a Massive green field which shadowed the horizons beyond.

Kate looked extremely out of breath panting hard and a look of intense distress upon her face as if she were almost on the verge of tears {pant}"Kate are you ok?" he Humphrey asked looking to her as he attempted to steady his breathing.

"That was the most terrifying thing I`ve ever seen, she felt another rush of her fur spiking on end as she shook her body lengthways to attempt to get the feeling out of her system she closed her eyes after her body clearly in a state of shock to which Humphrey noticed walking to her side licking the side of her muzzle to reassure her that she wasn`t alone, she opened her eyes at the gesture raising her head and posture her breathing slowing back to normal.

"there was a wolf, Black" she looked into his eyes when she spoke the word "Black" all the other time watching the dirt beneath her shadow.

Humphrey paused for a moment "wait?" he asked almost in a questioning manner turning his head to the side slightly feeling a sudden and out of nowhere pain strick his scruff once again. "we should continue, I doubt just because the wolf is black it sticks to only the dark" he took a few steps back away from the forests dark tree line to Kates side looking to her for a agreeing look which she supplied just happy to be out of that god awful place.

They had gotten to a Large mound which crested over, they stood atop it looking back to the forest they had come from the mountains looming many many miles behind them, it was strange thinking back to it, how far they had come yet how short of a distance it actually was and how many horrific and disturbing things had happened, Neither of them wanted to think back an hour to the idea of them leaving behind a possible two wolves one being Kates sister, Kate however couldn`t not think about it questioning herself on how she could just leave her, how she had just run without even recognizing her as family and even know how she could think back to it and not have the urge to go back...

It was beginning to seem that it was just them, only them, but for how long was the question each of them kept asked themselves looking at their partner every time they did afraid of losing one and other, it was safe to say emotions for the rest of that day were at a all time low of the journey, thirsty, Hungary and soon to be wet with a approaching storm which rang out flashes in the near distance neither of them felt like this journey could be achieved and now felt that the only end to it would be an end which none of them wanted to imagine...

The storm soon hit them as they walked their way through the ever soaking dirt below them which soon sank their paws as if they stood in sand, their coats dropping to the floor as if gravity itself had changed, the rain had become so heavy it felt like they were being lashed with a whip with every passing second and still they pressed themselves on through the field hoping beyond everything that they would find an oasis of shelter but no such thing appeared

And just like that Kate broke down as she walked alongside Humphrey her body falling to the floor as tears almost indistinguishable from the water which swirled around in the screaming wind, Kate sat there her body sinking slightly in the mud as Humphrey turned to see her breathing erratically and her eyes clearly in pain as she clamped them shut.

Humphrey didn`t bother to ask what it was and stood afront her, blocking the wind like a brick wall he sat down close to her leaning down knowing there was no reason to continue in this weather and with no sign of shelter he thought that he may as well be the shelter for someone.

He moved close to kate as she pressed her face and muzzle into his chest soon standing slightly under his figure pushing herself into and up his chest to attempt to hide from the raging storm, her breathing still erratic Humphrey lent his head down as the only other comfort he could supply and rested his chin upon her head as she half lay curled up in his fur like a newborn cub.

**:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::After the Storm 1 hour 45minutes::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

They still sat there, Kate curled up in Humphreys fur, the wind had slowed to a shallow whistle across the plains of grass, Kate had almost fallen asleep with Humphrey holding his eyes shut wishing he had passed during the storm, so drenched they both felt as if they had been dropped into the ocean, slowly Kate looked to Humphrey a large amount of emotion running around her brain as she watched him his eyes still shut soon opening to look to the damp ground to his side then slowly up at Kate who now stood below him soon raising herself to his head height, her eyes full of a mix of what must of been care and love, shed seemed to have calmed since the storm passed, now Humphrey seemed the upset one as he sat solemnly in place shivering at every slight gust of wind which impacted his back.

"Humphrey I sh, I`m sorry we should have continued," Kate said slowly feeling bad about getting him to sit out here exposed to the harsh wind and striking rain.

Humphrey slowly lifted paw taking a slow low walk to Kate again pressing himself against her resting his head this time on her shoulder, Kate was half taken aback but accepted the gesture returning it resting her chin on his shoulder them both closing their eyes, soon Humphrey raised his head sighing, "We um, should probably get moving?" he asked Kate who nodded half smiling as she did so Humphrey attempting to return it failing to do so making a hesitating turn to the lands which lay further on, Kates smile dropping as she walked to his side looking out to the fields the wind a damp flow over their fur.

"where now?" Kate said lowly as she changed view across all the potential directions they could follow.

"...Straight ahead" was Humphreys simple reply watching the wind sweep across the grass.

They continued their dragging journey onwards and soon they reached a point where they could no longer see the misty peaks of the mountains they long left behind.

The day was approaching its end, the sun throwing lines of ever-shrinking orange and yellow across the skies shadowy clouds, small patches of trees which they made large stretching paths around the grass parting as they walked.

Soon farther distant mountain ranges and peaks watched over them from far in front, the sun visibly illuminating less and less of their peaks now shrinking behind their horizons again plunging their journey back into the dark, yet they continued on their way as mere black dots traversing the dark background.

Humphrey soon walked upon a large formation of boulders and rocks, he looked back to the dark outline of Kate behind him "sleep?" he asked unsure if she wanted to call it a day or not feeling is eyes droop as he said the word.

he watched as Kate walked past him towards a shallow outline of what seemed an overhanging shelf above the rocks, he watched from a distance as kate snuggled up against the rocks without saying a word the only sound escaping being that of her shuffling interrupted by the now calming wind which hissed between the swaying grass at their paws.

He took his slow pace over to Kate who now lay her eyes shut below the stars which circled above, he lent down to her shuffling his way behind her to sit and watch over the darkened fields which seemed to swirl in his mind and before he knew it was different from real life he lay his head aside Kate his mind falling beneath him into the world so low yet so high...

**:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::Humphreys dreamscape:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

He landed somewhere where the grass swished in the breeze which made no impact on him, where the sun shined over a surrounding mountain range half his view, he took a cautious step forward which soon turned into a walk across the grass plains, he explored the fields which seemed to never end.

He heard distant laughter, a cub, youngsters laugh, he searched for the origin for which there was none, nor was there a direction of sound it was as if it were in the air, a while the world played to mess with him.

Soon he didn`t care for the laughter could only mean one thing, they were having fun, happy, somewhere they enjoyed and so a content smile started forming as he searched.

his fur stood on end as if he could tell something were not right {Howl} it echoed across and over the grass plains until the two sounds of laughter and howl met turning the sun a gold icy white glow, a laugh turned to a scream, a scream turned to silence which fueled the spinning clouds which encircled the mountains, the mountains which seemed to grow into a box, a box which seemed to fill each corner , the corners he ran too, the corners which flipped as if he was a hamster ball, the box which span like a ball no way of outrunning it, no way of fighting back and all the time it felt like he was not the only one in the box, like something dark and dingy was following something not even the corner of his eye could catch.

He ran in circles the circle getting smaller and smaller until he was spinning on the spot in search for the thing that sat behind him perhaps beside him maybe even in front of him he span faster and faster until he jolted to a spinning stop.

in front of him a good twenty meters away at a set of growling wolves which seemed to follow his central vision, they were everywhere he looked, he stood backing away increasing the separation of them to him, they growled and snarled at him soon making loud aggressive barks the glisten of drool dripping from their canines.

He didn`t want to fight, he didn`t feel like he could stand a chance and so all he could do was back away from them as they made slow advances towards him some of the wolves breaking off flanking his sides making nips at the air with their teeth, He backed up further and further until he hit something solid behind him, he turned to see a gigantic pine tree hanging high above him stretching further into the sky them ore he looked.

he looked around the tree to where he watched a forest grow in moments, it stretched far into an unknown place the growling continued from behind him, he looked back knowing that exactly what this world he found himself in wanted him to do

He ran, sprinted through the shadows of the trees engulfing him and those who ran close behind, dead brown leaves falling in his view as if someone in front was running kicking them up at him, and that was when she formed in front of his running path, kate, he tried to call but no words formed, he could hear the barks from behind, the intense thudding of large paws following.

He looked to his side where he watched the strangest sight he had ever seen, for many yards to the side of where he and Kate ran, sprinted himself, he felt his paws rapid flow halt as he came to a stop, he watched Kate and himself? run through the forest and then the galloping of paws passing close behind which seemed to ignore him, he closed his eyes as the paws passed opening them to watch the wolves he once thought chased him pursue the visions which he had only recently noticed.

and then just as suddenly as it had come he watched the forest die around him and give chase to the running wolves.

A sudden voice spoke from beyond voice, "You must run Humphrey, for if you stop they will catch you, And if they catch you, they will surely kill you, But first they must catch you..." the Voice spoke loudly and direct almost in an ordering tone, a tone which did not speak threatening words but sounded of a threatening one.

And then it ended with sickening darkness of almost instantaneous effect and the rest of his sleep was pondered by darkness which served as no memory...

**::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::Next morning:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

The next morning came in an unknown amount of time, Humphrey waking much before Kate would, he raised himself from behind her almost instantly upon opening his eyes taking a second to visualize his surroundings, the sky was still a dark grey one as if drawn and smugged with watercolors, clouds still looming in the near distance still heavy with the ocean's rain.

What did the dream mean? he asked himself deep in thought, Was it an insight to the future, one of many possible outcomes or was it actually just a dream, it could have just been what he feard, perhaps the dream was fueled by the idea of losing something he loved, He looked down to Kate who he once played beside, her form curled into a ball her eyes held gently shut as her chest fell only to rise again, but for how long he questioned his mind, The dream pondered his mind for quite some time and all the time he wished it had just been a dream, but it seemed to obscure that it may have not been, it was strange to him thinking that having an out of body experience where he flew and changed the world around him could seem even remotely real...but it did.

Soon enough his attention did turn to other matters however, his scruff had started to itch he knew that if he were to scratch it would surely lead to the wounds opening and the possibility of infection would only increase, he tried to think of other subjects but they all seemed to end with him getting irritated at his scruff.

Soon it became almost unbearable to not even just gently rub around it, he lent his head to the ground raising his front paw over the top of his head attempting to swipe his paw up and down the back of his head barely reaching the itch, "Ah" he darted his paw away feeling a flash of pain shoot through his body to his head, he removed his paw slowly lifting it to his eyes.

Blood, dark and red it stained the underside of his pads, he lowered his paw to the ground slowly out of view hoping to achieve the out of sight out of mind trick which his dad used to tell him back when...well, a long time ago, that image of the blood on his paw stuck with him while he watched the sky begin to brighten and the clouds roll off and it only made him ask the question which none could ever and would ever answer...

Why were they here?...

**(Slow black fade out whilst the stars from the sky to his paw once more)**

**Song by Coldplay- ****Viva La Vida**

_~I used to rule the world~_

_~Seas would rise when I gave the word~_

_~Now in the morning, I sleep alone~_

_~Sweep the streets I used to own~_

_~I used to roll the dice~_

_~Feel the fear in my enemy's eyes~_

_~Listen as the crowd would sing~_

_~Now the old king is dead! Long live the king!~_

_~One minute I held the key~_

_~Next the walls were closed on me~_

_~And I discovered that my castles stand~_

_~Upon pillars of salt and pillars of sand~_

_~I hear Jerusalem bells are ringing~_

_~Roman Cavalry choirs are singing~_

_~Be my mirror, my sword and shield~_

_~My missionaries in a foreign field~_

_~For some reason I can't explain~_

_~Once you go there was never, never a honest word~_

_~And that was when I ruled the world~_

_~It was a wicked and wild wind~_

_~Blew down the doors to let me in~_

_~Shattered windows and the sound of drums~_

_~People couldn't believe what I'd become~_

_~Revolutionaries wait~_

_~For my head on a silver plate~_

_~Just a puppet on a lonely string~_

_~Oh, who would ever want to be king?~_

_~I hear Jerusalem bells are ringing~_

_~Roman Calvary choirs are singing~_

_~Be my mirror, my sword and shield~_

_~My missionaries in a foreign field~_

_~For some reason I can't explain~_

_~I know Saint Peter won't call my name~_

_~Never an honest word~_

_~But that was when I ruled the world~_

_~Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh~_

_~I hear Jerusalem bells are ringing~_

_~Roman Calvary choirs are singing~_

_~Be my mirror, my sword and shield~_

_~My missionaries in a foreign field~_

_~For some reason I can't explain~_

_~I know Saint Peter won't call my name~_

_~Never an honest word~_

_~But that was when I ruled the world~_

**There we go, a massive milestone for Me reaching chapter 10 as well as reaching 30k words which was perfectly calculated I think it will be a good idea to try to stick to roughly 3k words a chapter and try and stick with 30k words every ten chapters tell me what you guys think of, and not only that but I just hit 400 views on this story and again thank you so much to everyone who is still supporting me all the way from chapter 1 to now and I hope you keep enjoying because it`s only going to get better from here on in.**

**anyways back to the normal finishing chat, if you enjoyed leave a comment on what you thought of this chapter and where you hope to see or think their trail may leave them and on top of that if you feel like it follow and favorite to help support but above everything comments mean more to me, anyway it`s that time again...**

**cya in chapter 11!...**


	11. Chapter 11 running mist

**Back again with this time chapter 11 which I can only hope will satisfy all of you guys as all my previous ones have, and just a little heads up I am thinking of doing a lemon somewhere around chapter 15 however don`t get your hopes up you dirty minded people as it may be after that if at all, I`ll see how it goes.**

**Enjoy...**

Kate woke to the sound of an overhead eagle screeching as it passed her vision, Humphrey had stayed by her side the entire night refusing to leave even after he woke from fear of his dream, he just sat there as if ordered to protect a jewel, "Humphrey? Are you ok?" Kate asked as she watched him stare out across the lands to which they had previously followed.

"huh, oh yeah, I`m fine, just watching" was his unconvincing reply as he turned his gaze back to the fields as the shadows of the clouds swim across them.

Kate twisted her muzzle to the fields only to turn back a moment later to him to ask again "ok, What is it?" she knew that he must be worried about something finding them as they slept or following them but still wanted to hear it from him, she wasn`t too keen on him always hiding his fears but sometimes she could manage to get them out of him.

Humphrey looked down to kate who lay on his front paws sighing and looking back up to the world around him only this time more so focused on the rolling clouds above,"...I had a dream, I dunno, it was weird like I was myself but wasn`t, I watched myself running, that was at the end though at the beginning there was a cub?, laughing playing maybe and then they screamed..." he paused for a second attempting to think over his word choice to continue onwards "There was this thing in the corner of my eye that I couldn`t quite see, like a phantom an omen or something again I don`t really know, everything happened

so fast, then I was running and there were these wolves, dark, Angry, Hungry I think like they had been starved to insanity, I ran and then, you were there and me, I mean not me but another me..." he stopped talking for a moment looking down to Katen not wanting to continue with the current part of his dream.

"There was another thing before it all went dark, a voice spoke to me "You must run Humphrey, for if you stop they will catch you, And if they catch you, they will surely kill you, But first they must catch you..." His eyes fell to the floor then quickly back up to the surroundings as if he a guard that had forgotten his duty

Kate just looked up at him feeling for his dream " Humphrey, it was a dream it`s all fine, it`s just everything that has happened that`s all, try not to get riled up about it, please for me?" she asked attempting to subdue Humphrey into forgetting the dream his eyes twitching as she did so from her to the fields before slowly tilting his head side to side "uh ok" looking to the ground in defeat. but still the dream walked his mind and there was nothing Kate could do about that.

"come on, sit by me," Kate told him, he responded slotting himself down beside her and the rock wall looking out across the landscape with her.

"see, it`s a lot nicer when your not imagining, well whatever you are imagining" Kate spoke happily to him as he watched to the sky as two birds danced peacefully between the background of white rolling clouds.

"Yeah, it is" Humphrey let her ears hear what they wanted to look to the horizon soon afterward and back to the swaying grass, it never really got boring watching the same thing over and over, there was always something about the natural world which no matter how many times you may see something, you could never get tired of it.

"Hey um Kate, whatever happened to you know, your Dad?" he asked soon realizing that maybe it wasn`t exactly the right moment to bring such a subject up, there was probably a reason she hadn`t already.

Humphrey indeed now wished he hadn`t asked as he could see she was trying to hide something, something which he could only guess was a solitary tear which she wiped away using an excuss of it was her eyes still adjusting to the light.

He didn`t speak again of her father that morning, they lay their paws trapped under their warm coats as they awaited the suns gaze to rise upon them which could mark the inevitable continuation of their winding path which still awaited them.

And sooner then they had hoped the sun did just that, they both rose from the dirt Kate shacking herself off as she had only recently woke, unlike Humphrey, him being the one to make the first step out away from the rocky overhang, he turned to Kate who still stood recovering from her stretch under the small arch awaiting her company.

{RINGING BANG}

Dirt kicked into the air beneath his paws instantly finding himself running in confusion and fear losing track of where Kate had gone, he ran around a corner of the rock calling out for "Kate!"... there was no reply... "Ka!" "I`m here" he jumped at the abrupt reply from behind him.

"what was that?" Kate continued asking anxiously as if he would know the answer.

"I don`t know" he quietly replied as he walked to a corner around the rock peeping for a second, nothing but miles of the field stood in front of his vision, he craned his neck further around the wall following it along as if he stalked a prey.

(RINGING BANG}

The wall splintered between his hind and front legs making him jump into the air falling backward scurrying away back to Kate calling to her as he did.

"Run!" he didn`t know what it was but he did know it wanted him dead so he did what the voice told him to do "Run...

Very soon they found themselves passing over two hills but not before another {BANG} sounded which rang over distant fields pinging off the dirt somewhere near.

They kept running until they had easily passed a kilometer mark slowing near the end while watching their back, they were both regaining their breath again before exchanging looks

"I`ll say again {Pant} what was that?" Kate spoke slowly raising her figure as she gained back her breath.

"I, I don`t know" was his plain reply whilst he watched anxiously over his back towards where they had come from the rock nowhere to be seen, turning his attention to the trees which lay directly in front of them.

"dammit, You know I don`t like forests anymore right?" he said indirectly to Kaet who turned from the fields to face the wood to be confronted by again another dark and damp underhang sighing as she looked end to end no sign of a way around.

Lowering her front again as she realized they would have to go through uncomfortably shuffling her paws along the ground soon looking back to Humphrey who was doing a similar unsure shuffle along the ground looking back to the fields than to the trees again.

"Well, it can`t be much worse than that" he referenced the bang noises which they had recently heard.

"I guess not" Kate replied still not completely one hundred percent convinced than after pressed forward away from the fields shortly followed by Humphrey who always found himself glancing back to the place they were leaving.

Again they found themselves crunching their way through the brown leaf laced under canopy of another dark and damp forest.

Soon however it was clear that this forest was not like the others they had once traveled through, it was filled with song, song of birds which swooped through gaps in the treetops, sunlight which burst from all pours in the leaves above as well as a stream which they eventually stumbled upon, it ran downwards into a small cave which must have broken off into many other small junctions.

They even watched a small group of boar which scattered upon sight of them "you Hungry?" Humphrey asked looking to Kate jokingly.

Her serious reply being "Yes" looking to him an expression of none upon her face

"Really, I, I can go get one if you want?" he said taken aback by her decision getting ready to give chase only managing to get a few feet in front away from Kate before she called out.

"No I am joking, I am Hungry but I still don`t trust it here no matter how" she looked around again to try and find a word "Nice, it is compared to previous ones" she finished fearing what may happen if they somehow got separated even in such a place.

"Oh, ok probably best I guess" he placed his lifted paw back to the floor aside him as Kate walked to his side them both continuing through what was much like an oasis in a desert compared to other places they had visited.

"What`s that smell" Kate questioned aloud to herself as they both passed through a Large berry bush "Huh" Humphrey replied confused by her outburst of "Blood"

"I smell blood, I mean {Sniff} of course I`m going to smell blood we`re in a forest but, this is a lot of Blood" Kate followed the smell a few meters around another Bush shortly accompanied by Humphrey "Maybe that`s a call for us to ignore and I dunno, Go" Humphrey urged Kate him not wanting to smell the air himself.

"No, it smells like Western Pack, like us" she continued sniffing the ground only to find some half-dried blood quickly averting her nose before she accidentally touched it, looking up at the blood trail which soon appeared obvious large five-meter gaps between each patch.

The trees around became denser less and less light piercing the treetops which was now much closer in resemblance to a Cave the birds having been left behind their chirping now a far memory of what they wished it could always be.

Humphreys' mouth had become dry, he had thought Kate had by now realized that it was best to stay in the light.

Kate slowly turned the corner of a towering Pine still watching the ground The distance between the patches of blood now having become larger and wetter with a more distinct smell.

"Kate," Humphrey said in a low tensioned voice trying to get her attention.

"Kate stop," He said again this time more sternly.

She stopped looking around to Humphrey who had obviously seen something she had not, turning her head and looking up she was confronted by a distant Wolf, A dead Wolf, hanging there just dangling, Kate felt herself gag as she realized that half of the Wolf's Muzzle lay aground large rips which had trailed from their side downwards catching the head and throwing it to the ground, still strips of flesh laced with muscle attached the two.

**Look up in google of chrome** The mist film series dog- **Graphic content some viewers may find disturbing **

**(first image)**

Kate looked away in disgust feeling her stomach make a decision to roll over "Holy fuck" she said to herself in a quiet mutter pausing for a moment after to think over what she had just seen "who is it?" she asked Humphrey who still stood further back from her his face half turned away yet he still watched the carcass as it dangled there on its own flesh like a string.

"What do you mean who is it?" He retorted slightly upset at the idea of Kate wanting him to obviously find out who it was.

"They`re Western pack, I can smell it on them" she replied still gazing elsewhere but in front.

"Are you sure, it`s quite a ways out" he replied as he watched a single eyeball stare directly at him as it sat solitarily in its gauged socket.

{Sniff} "yeah, pretty sure" Kate replied taking another look at what used to be a wolf instantly regretting it taking a few steps back to Humphrey.

He watched for a second until a droplet of moist blood dripped from the wolfs ripped neck to the puddle beneath soon realizing "And it`s still reasonably fresh" he looked around quickly in hesitation as Kate came to his side still refusing to look back.

"We need to go" was his instantaneous reply Kate not objecting in the slightest padded quickly back around the tree they came around, Humphrey took a glance at the wolfs eyeball, it seemed to stare into him, he felt the world rotate and the shadows grow darker and larger around.

"Humphrey" Kate semi called out to him, he changed direction and fled the scene.

The forest around them suddenly seemed darker, as if they had been lured into a trap with a sense of false hope as if all the birds that had previously swooped between trees just ceased to exist, all the sounds had dulled down, there was something most definitely not right about this forest.

Both of them walked close by each others side attempting to forget the vision of the wolf they had previously encountered, Kate didn`t dare sniff the air again in fear of what it may lead her to in-vision.

Humphrey however was smelling the air, ignoring the smell of the wolf in the distance now behind them he attempted to smell other things, other creatures, perhaps other wolves...

"Who would do that to a wolf?" Kate asked hushly to him as strode up the imaginary path between trees and laying logs.

He shook his head in a controlled manner watching the ground after and where his next paw would fall "I don`t know, I have an Idea though" he continued onwards pressing his thoughts deeper "Would Garth really follow us this far?" Kate asked aloud to herself to looking forward as they walked.

"I doubt he would, I know he would send those who would" {Sniff} {Sniff} he looked around for a moment a hint of something floated through the air, he twitched his ears back pausing in place, each ear moved independently scanning like a radar "What is it?" Kate asked now pricking her ears up in question.

Humphreys muzzle became dry as he waited in anticipation for what he may smell, hear any second from then.

"Nothing" he soon came to the conclusion that it was his mind playing tricks however it didn`t stop them from quickening their pace through the woods, nothing seemed to go their way when they were shadowed by leaves.

They walked and walked the trees now grew far apart and they could see easily between trunks for two hundred meters a low mist blocking their vision for any distance beyond.

"Hmmmm" when dose this end Kate asked herself as she watched anxiously as the mist swirled over a moss eastern log which lay a few feet to her side.

"I dunno, I don`t think it`s too far tho-ough" he slowed his last word halfway as he turned to Kate who followed behind.

He stood for a second no expression taking hold on his face, he stood still watching past Kate, Kate wondering why he had stopped watching him for a second her muzzle expression dropping without her even having to look behind herself, she could count each individual hair on Humphreys coat rise to a spike as he stood there.

"Run" he said in a low whisper to her almost no emotion within his voice just a sense of loss.

Without taking a look Kate dashed her paws across the dirt floor soon turning to a sprint ahead.

Humphrey stood there until he could no longer hear the thudding of Kates paws upon the ground and the dirt had fallen.

He watched A wolf, A wolf he had seen before, in the other forest stand there a hundred meters away mist boxing the wolfs paws in, The wolfs eyes where wide staring, not a blink nor a movement they just both stared...

He ran... **Look up** epic music mix - drums and percussion **for full experience 0:13- 1:11**

He felt his body move faster then it had before attempting to keep to Kates prints which stood clearly in the blurring sweeps of sunlight through the trees.

He lost the trail yet he kept running, jumping over log after log not wasting time maneuvering around he just bolted for it, everything a flash around him.

He jumped over a log accidentally losing balance impacting the ground rolling once before spreading is paws catching himself before the second, he looked around for a second panting hard.

He ran again picking up where he left off, there it was, a light which broke the barrier between the wood and fresh air, he sped up as fast as he could, it felt like the wind air held him back fighting to go faster until... Light.

He found himself once again in a field though he didn't stop at the edge of the forest, he kept going the fields grass covered with the same low hung mist, he ran and ran an incline below his paws, he slowed as he felt the floor level {Heavy panting} he slowly came to a stop turning around to where he ran from, nothing but the treeline bordered his vision.

He looked end to end of the Forest line mouthing some words to himself "Kate he said in a low voice soon then after shouting with what breath he had "Kate!" The call sounded over the hills and to the forest line which blocked his call.

"Kate!"

**(instantaneous blackout)**

**There we go guys chapter 11 out and hopefully you guys can now get a clear picture of the sort of story I`m going for, unless you`ve already guessed it, anyways I will not bore you any longer then I have to with these exits so I`ll just finish it up now so I can post this chapter for you guys**

**As normal feel free to drop a comment on what you thought of this chapter and where you feel it could go from here on in and if you want to you can give me an idea for where you want me to take this story, as I said I make this up as I go so I have no idea what could happen in ch 12 rn so my guess is as good as yours, anyways...**

**Cya in the next chapter y`all...**


	12. Chapter 12 in a blink

**I`m here again guys with chapter 12 this time, god seems not too long ago I was writing chapter 5 now 12!, thank you, everyone who had supported me so far to this point and I would like to Thank Titanflame particularly for his massive support recently it means a lot.**

**And without keeping you lot any longer let's get into it...**

"Kate!" he called scanning across the treeline below his smile which had formed after escaping back to the field has begun to sink, "Kate..." he said to himself as he looked once more... "no" was the reply he gave himself looking to where the grass that stuck out of the mist split trailing back into the forest.

**Play music John Murphy - **In the House, In a Heartbeat (Metro Exodus)** for the** **full experience up to **3:28

0:00 ..."Kate!..."

0:16 He found himself sprinting back to the forest line he had previously fled..."Kate!..."

0:35 He jolted forward back into the forest...

0:56 He looked around, the world seemed to spin at different rates to his muzzle...

1:20 "No no no...Kate!"

1:35 Nothing, not even the wolf which had once watched him showed them self... he ran again deeper into the forest in search for her, everything seemed to spin faster and faster everything became more and more of a blur as he forced himself further into the mist...

2:20 {Heavy irregular breathing}..."Kate!..."

2:45 Leaves had started falling from the trees above, The mist attempting to creep it`s way up every tree stump as if something alive clinging to a rock face for dear life.

3:10 he ran again his sense of direction left behind "Kate!..."

3:28 his eyes had started to gloss over as he ran, was it from the wind that seemed to whip him as he ran or something else "Kate..."

He looked around once more to the surrounding mists and trees which stretched out of view "kate" he said to himself as he looked, he felt himself grow hot and bothered his muzzle felt like the itchiest thing his mind played cruel tricks on him the vision of the wolf hanging there intruded as he searched, and the eye, The eye that he swore watched him, it stared straight into his gaze... "no, no no No!" he clamped his eyes shut then open again his glossy textured eyes had now spread to his fur beneath.

stepping forward he felt his paw touch something wet and cold, blood, he whimpered squeezing his face up as he looked around again his figure now low to the mist "Kate!" he called again as he moved his paw from around the blood.

"No no no" he said to himself as he backed away from the blood curling his body up as he did so he felt his snout shrivel up out of pure heartbreak and fear looking around yet again to which there was nothing but darkened trees.

"Awooooooo" a distant howl bounced through the trees forward of him, he sniffed to himself once more before running back off the trail he believed he had come soon finding his bearings in his state emotion of upset.

He found the edge of the forest soon thereafter exiting with his tail curled under him as another howl whistled through the trees which now seemed to resemble that of jail bars in a prison then actual tree trunks.

He trailed his way slowly back through the low slung mist up the hill his breathing becoming more and more erratic as he went while the situation came tumbling down on him { low sob} he raised his head to the sight he had just left plotting himself down atop the hill in a desperate last attempt that she would appear from between the pines.

He waited and waited, eight lengthy hours had passed by the sun had died beneath the clouded horizon, the last few orange rays breaking contact with the forests canopy...

And then there was silence {he let out a small sob of despair as the light disappeared for the night his body felt like it was on the point of collapse, all he wanted to do was curl up into a ball and lay there until something found him.

He felt his instinct carry his paws across the field pressing onwards, but to where now? was the question he couldn`t answer.

Soon enough somehow his body found itself stumbling blindly upon a rocky structure much like the one they had slept in the night before.

He walked around it until he came to rest upon a wall which indented from the wind and cold which seemed more bitter than ever, he felt himself slip down the wall slowly all emotion had seemed to escape him as he fell to his side.

He slowly cradled himself tucking his paws comfortably as close as he could get them to himself, his eyes had now begun to gloss over yet again he could feel the inevitable breakdown as he tried to sleep approaching. {Sniffing sob} ...{Whine} he drew his paws up to his muzzle attempting to hold it firm squeezing as hard as he could feeling it was his fault attempting to get his new sudden emotion of anger out on it {Angry sob}

He loosened his grip just before he managed to accidentally draw blood with his claws bringing them back down tucking them back into his chest {quiet sob}

He lay there a while the occasional shallow sob drifting from where he lay, however, he didn`t lay awake for long enough for him to see the glistening starts appear, they seemed to watch over him throughout the night and if he were awake he would only watch on wishing beyond hope somewhere out there in the beyond of dark and light was Kate sitting watching the very same stars from where she was, wherever that would be...

This time in his dreams he found himself laying where he fell to sleep, there were no fields, no birds, no day nor night just him and the rock he lay against in the exact same position he drifted off in {sob}

He soon came to his senses managing to cease his current state standing up to look out beyond into the white which stretched on forever or was it a white box, so white you couldn`t see the corners, a false sense of freedom amongst a nonexistent ground beyond where he stood.

All of a sudden the dull pattering of a liquid filled his ears as if he were in a cave, all sounds seemed to echo from everywhere, maybe it really was a white box.

Turning the corner of the rock from where he stood he watched as droplets of red fell with large gaps between them, they seemed to form a trail which led away from the rock, as much as he felt he`d had his fair share of blood for the rest of his life he walked to the edge of the rock where the trail began.

Standing there for a second before taking his paw and placing it alongside the droplet testing the ground, and sure enough, it was solid, he looked up at the ever-increasing length of the trail walking forward to follow.

The rock flew out of his vision and went blank, nothing but the trail and the whiteness remained, he followed further and further each droplet becoming bigger and bigger until each droplet was much more of a small puddle than to a large one.

And that was when it formed, ten meters afront were the wolf, dangling there on a flesh wire from an unknown distant origin above, his jaw opened slightly as he breathed deeply at the sight wanting to go back, still no sound had echoed, no movement but his own had been noticed, it was just him and the wolf.

He felt his mind tell him to step back, he lifted his back paw taking a step backward followed by each other paw until he had retreated a meter, he blinked and that was what terrified him for the wolf had moved two...

He stepped back again feeling the hair stand on his back following his spine as he moved back two meters blinking there after the mangled wolf now hung four meters away, he felt his emotion take over his fear his eyes started watering as it now felt like whatever it was, was alive.

He shuffled terrified quickly two more meters away from the wolf and that was when he made the mistake he had not yet noticed made it move... He blinked.

{Whine} the wolfs mangled eye socket now drew centimeters away from his , he could see each surface scratch, each detail in the iris, everything, his throat bulged up and down as if he tried to swallow a dry food, all of his fur around his body pricked, he didn`t dare to move in fear of...it...

He waited and waited for something to happen, he felt his eyes begin to become sore, he needed to blink but didn`t dare, it was as if it wanted me too, like it lived for the darkness even if it were only a nanosecond.

"Please no" he found himself pleading aloud as he stared straight into the eye, every nerve wanted to just close them, it would only be a second his brain told him, but his fear told him that it would be forever.

{heartbeat}...{heartbeat}...{heartbeat}...{ holding of breath}...

{Blink}

"AHHHHHHHHhhh..." he jumped from his sleep rubbing half his body across the rough rock which lay to his side, the wind instantly kicking at his body as he jumped from the rock

{Heavy breathing followed by panting}

He remembered it all, everything which had happened, looking back to where he slept, no one, just him, closing his eyes he took in a large gulp to try and overcome his emotions and not allow them access to what that day may bring.

The sky rolled by as if in fast forward, he sat atop the mound which housed the rock he had slept in overnight, the mist had moved on, he was now confronted by again the barren lands of the field which forever continued to sway in changing directions of the wind

He only allowed a single solitary tear to run down his fur, perhaps because he was that solitary tear now, maybe something else...

**Slow inaudible fade out of him on the hill...**

**Song- **Coldplay - The Scientist

~Come up to meet you, tell you I'm sorry~

~You don't know how lovely you are~

~I had to find you, tell you I need you~

~Tell you I set you apart~

~Tell me your secrets and ask me your questions~

~Oh, let's go back to the start~

~Running in circles, coming up tails~

~Heads on a science apart~

~Nobody said it was easy~

~It's such a shame for us to part~

~Nobody said it was easy~

~No one ever said it would be this hard~

~Oh, take me back to the start~

~I was just guessing at numbers and figures~

~Pulling the puzzles apart~

~Questions of science, science and progress~

~Do not speak as loud as my heart~

~But tell me you love me, come back and haunt me~

~Oh and I rush to the start~

~Running in circles, chasing our tails~

~Coming back as we are~

~Nobody said it was easy~

~Oh, it's such a shame for us to part~

~Nobody said it was easy~

~No one ever said it would be so hard~

~I'm going back to the start~

~Oh ooh, ooh ooh ooh ooh~

~Ah ooh, ooh ooh ooh ooh~

~Oh ooh, ooh ooh ooh ooh~

~Oh ooh, ooh ooh ooh ooh~

{whisleing distant wind...}

**There we go guys, bit of a shorter chapter however I wanted to get two chapters out today as I felt it would be something special for you guys anyways do let me know what you all thought of this one, a bit different, well a lot different from my usual but honestly what do you guys think of what happened this chapter and where you think it`ll leave Humphrey going next chapter?**

**Anyways thanks a lot to everyone again and I guess I`ll see you all in chapter 13!...**

**Cya**


	13. Chapter 13 Where have i ended up?

**Guess what everyone, Chapter 13 is here, I know it took a while and I`m really sorry for that but there was an update for a game I very much love, anyways here it is, so enjoys everyone...**

Sitting there, the wind rolling his fur back down his form, he must have sat there for an hour watching the morning wind sway across the fields which housed occasional solitary pine trees which stretched far to the sky.

He`d forgotten everything recently, hunger, thirst, his needs, either that or he didn`t care anymore all he felt was a pumping anger, like a rifle loaded with a blank he knew he couldn`t do anything about it anymore, his paws ached, his scruff stung but he didn`t nor could care, what was the point in it all now.

He turned to the rock remembering back to what he`d come through to get this far

The sky above bared the branding of dark grey low hanging clouds which dotted the sky, the day was looking to be that of a normal one though Humphrey didn`t really know what a normal day was now.

The grass scrapped along with his figure as he slowly dragged himself away from the lands which now housed many memories rather left behind.

But no matter how much he didn`t want to, he always kept finding himself stopping and glancing back to where he came from, he didn`t want to let her go, he couldn`t but perhaps the only thing which did drive him onwards now was the idea of her somehow making it out, and that perhaps she managed to follow the trail of the skies away from these lands.

Perhaps the next time he could see her would be in another world, it was just a matter of when this world would build a bridge to another.

Stream, forest edge, cavern, he passed them all as he walked through the ever-changing environment, far mountain ranges boxing his horizons in.

Eventually, he stumbled upon a stream which trailed off into the distance towards what was unmistakably another forest of sorts shadowed by the far mountains.

He lowered his face to the floor where a small shallow puddle lay aside the river, he looked deeply into it sighing to himself he closed his eyes, upon opening there she was, Kate.

"Ah" he jumped up at the sight desperately looking around his flanks for where he clearly viewed her sitting in the reflection, his breathing died down as he realized it was just his mind playing horrible tricks upon him.

And so he began his short journey to what was undoubtedly going to be another horror show shadowed by crowds of leaves which would laugh at his dismay.

The trees were further apart then any other forest he had previously entered, the distance between treetops flowed like rivers much like the one which ran behind him

He entered, gentle swirls of wind circled leaves around the air above, The air was fresh his mind finding it`s self in a peaceful state, he sighed to himself closing is eyes.

They shoot open at the instant of sound, running paws erupted from around him in long grassed patches.

"outsider, another one?" Humphrey looked to his fear, a shadowy red wine wolf stood circling his fear a good ten feet away, His fur seemed to blend with that of the Brown crispy leaves which still flew around in the wind.

"Looks like it" another spoke this time to his front, Another Wine red wolf patched with dark red lines which highlighted their neck and eyes stood afront him checking him over as the wolf crained their body around circling as well.

"He`s injured, Blood, dry" the one from behind stated as if reading notes to a doctor

Humphrey found himself instinctively start growling pulling his body in as far away from them as he could switching view.

"Aye, no need for that" the wolf in front said attempting to defuse the situation, as he finished his speaking they all heard more running paws from behind the wolf which stood in front of Humphrey.

two more Wolves ran into the clearing from behind some tall grass coming to a quick halt upon the sighting of him, one another wine red like the one which stood behind him the other quite different.

A pale Electric blue wolf which white patches upon their chest now stood almost exactly aside from the one which had just spoken to him.

"Another one?" he then looked to the two which had found Humphrey who now both looked onwards to the Blue one which now spoke.

"Owaisy, Fridolf? what`s happening..."

Humphrey blocked out any further conversation from his mind as they squabbled, this was strange, he`d never seen nor heard of such wolves and there were far too many of them for him to even be able to comprehend a fight that ended in his victory.

"...Well never mind about that, What should we do with him? The lands around us have been growing steadily darker" The wolf in front of him asked looking back to him as he awaited an answer.

there was a long pause while the Blue wolf thought... "Orca?" the one afront Humphrey turned to face the Blue one

"Shush Owaisy, we`ll have to take him in, like all the others, what`s your name?" Orca asked looking to Humphrey his dark blue eyes questioning his intentions.

Humphrey looked right to left slowly as he watched all the surrounding wolves watch him, he looked forward to Orca "Humphrey" was his straight reply "My names Humphrey"

"OK, Humphrey, see it`s up to you if you wish to stay here or if you`re passing through, the world out there is forever growing darker, especially in recent times" Orca attempted to continue but Humphrey butted in.

"What do you mean darker, and what did you mean Another one?" he asked the last part looking to the two original wolves which found him.

"I mean" Orca continued slightly agitated at his interruption which Humphrey noticed backing his head down to the floor not wanting to draw claws and teeth into the conversation.

"There are others out there, wolves have been going missing recently, more then usual" Orca looked over Humphrey past him and to the far tree line which broak into fields.

And what they meant was that there have been others like you, are you lone wolf or pack wolf?" Orca continued questioning now sitting himself down beside the wolf which had entered with him.

"Pack wolf" he replied hoping that when he asked the inevitable question of which pack there wasn`t going to have been some dispute from the past between whichever pack this was and Winstons.

"Which one?" Orca pressed onwards a stern tone residing deep in his voice.

"Western, Western pack" Humphrey replied looking up out of the corner of his eye to check no wolves were pressing towards him at his reply to find everyone's paws where they had last been.

"Like the others then" Orca replied calmly his voice growing softer as he spoke.

"Others, where?" Humphrey became rather eager to find out and started looking around like they would all be awaiting his arrival, however, the one thing that he found himself thinking about more was the idea of Kate possibly being one of the wolves which resided in this packs territory.

"Probably dead" was Orcas solemn reply, almost no sign of emotion in his voice.

"They all left the day after each arrived, a couple died here, from wounds only the insane could comprehend" Orca looked to the floor as he said the last part, Humphreys mood had fallen, There was no Kate here nor Eastern pack.

"Did a wolf pass through by the name of Kate, Yellowy, White coat?" Humphrey asked hoping she may have possibly came through if not here anymore.

There was a pause from Orca for a moment his mouth moved to mimic words for a quick second "...no" he replied his eyes falling only to quickly regain their original positions.

Humphreys muzzle fell to the floor his expression forming a dull disappointed one

"I`m guessing that`s why you're all the way out here? for this Kate?" Orca questioned in an understandable tone.

"No, we ran, together, everyone did, at least everyone who could bring themselves too" Humphrey replied still looking to the ground as his mind still tried to comprehend that he may never see Kate again.

"But why" was Orcas confused reply fearing that he wasn`t going to like the answer.

"The Western pack, they forced us too, their leader is a fucking maniac, they killed us, a few of us, so we ran, maybe a week ago now, I`m not sure" Humphrey finished slowly raising his head to meet eyes with Orca who slowly swallowed a lump in his throat looking to the wolf beside him.

"Salga, double the patrol frequency in this region, anyone else passes through I want to know" he then turned his attention back to Humphrey and sighed "it`s up to you if you stay a while, just know that when you leave, you won`t find any salvation beyond for hundreds of more miles"

And with that Orca left quickly followed by both Owaisy and Fridolf leaving the wolf whose name was still unknown standing beside a tree watching out to where Humphrey had previously come.

It was a strange position he found himself, wasn`t much of a welcome, and although Orca had even said that he was allowed here it didn`t feel much like he was allowed, he felt much like a trespasser yet he still managed to walk past the guard and further into the forest...

It was also so weird that Orca didn`t question him more, surely he would have wanted to know Garhts name, know about everything really, he obviously seemed to be the leader around here, at least a higher up pack member, but no.

"Who are you?" came an abrupt and offensive tone.

"huh oh uhhh" He looked around to where the voice resonated from, A Light grey and white female wolf stood aside a large pine tree appearing as if she had waited there for him, her head tiled sidewards as she eyed him intriguingly making a quick paw movement towards him beginning to circle around him, her eyes a light sparkle of blue which encircled her shadowing Eris which flicked view up and down as she circled.

"Humphrey, uh my names Humphrey, Orca said it was alright if I joined, not joined but like stay, for a bit" he replied thinking she may be looking for a reason to treat him as an intruder.

"Humph, course he did" she sculked to herself as she stopped her circle in front of him a few feet away "So what brings you too the Ookami pack territory?"

"Okamey pack?" he questioned the pronunciation and the fact he`d never heard of it

"What pack are you from?" she brushed his question off.

"Um, the Eastern pack" he replied slightly uncertain on what she was building up too.

"Oh, That`s why you haven`t heard of us,you see what you call East, West, North packs blah blah blah, well, what are they north of and south of, what`s beyond that?" she asked tilting her head curiously at his answer attempting show off her wisdom he guessed.

Humphrey stood there for a second mouthing possible answers to himself.

"Yeah, there are many more" she paused for a moment looking to the ground then back up at him sweeping her fur which had fallen back over her head sleekening it back.

"Heh, sorry if I`ve come across a bit, um defensive, names Luna" she finished looking back to the ground and quickly back up to him.

There was a pause for a good five seconds where neither of them knew what to say until Luna spoke up "sooo what are you doing here?" turning her face but to an intrigued one.

Humphreys face dropped as he realized "I dunno anymore, I`m just walking now I guess" it was strange how upon meeting this wolf a mere two minutes ago he found himself entering a conversation which could easily end in him confession his current feelings.

"Sooo you`re a lone wolf now?" she asked questioningly tilting her head side to side.

"I guess, I mean no but, I`m more of a lost wolf then anything now" He sat down looking away from Luna to the short grass which shuddered in the soft wind beside him.

Luna felt the mood drop only now realizing that she probably shouldn`t of said anything.

"I just shouldn`t have told her to run" Humphrey looked back to Luna, he could feel an overwhelming collective of emotion storm his eyes and head as he sat "I`d of been better of just fighting that fucking wolf He felt himself claw angrily and uncontrollably at the floor bellow until each scratch turned to more of a rub.

"What wolf?" Luna asked uncertainly in a low voice.

"That dame wolf, dark, staring, it followed us, through the forest across the field" he dropped his head in shame as he felt he could have done something different, something which could mean Kate would still be here...

{Sniff}...{Sniff}...

"Humphrey, listen to me carefully," Luna asked calmly looking him straight in the eyes

His eyes were a blur as he attempted to blink away some of his leaking emotion from his eyes.

"What wolf?..."

"A black wolf..."

Instant blackout with a single drum beat

**And there you go guys chapter 13 out finally, sorry again but I was getting really back into a game I love above all others but I won`t allow that to stop me from keeping this outro short and snappy.**

**Be sure to leave your opinion on how you think this chapter went and where you think it may go from here on through, I have some pretty cool ideas coming up so in as least of a cheesy way I can say it... stay tuned...**

**Cya in the next one CH 14!...**


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